By Segun Adewale in Bauchi
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, on Saturday, 25 April, 2026, formally declared his intention to contest the Bauchi State governorship election in 2027, pledging to prioritize economic emancipation, youth empowerment, and agricultural transformation.
Tuggar made the declaration before a crowd of supporters, party officials, and federal lawmakers at the Games Village in Bauchi, weeks after resigning from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet in compliance with a presidential directive.
“I was given a tremendous opportunity by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The President instructed all appointees seeking elective office to resign before March 31, and I duly complied,” Tuggar said.
While thanking the president for the opportunity, Tuggar a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, stressed his long-standing loyalty to the party and his experience across public and private sectors.
“In my life, I have been a businessman, so I understand the pains and joys of traders in Muda Lawal Market, Wunti Market, and other markets across Bauchi. I attended to animals in my grandmother’s village as a child, so I know the struggles of herders and farmers,” he said.
He added that his years in opposition and later as a minister gave him insight into governance and the plight of citizens.
“I have lost elections, and I have won elections. I know the pain of losing. As a public servant, I know the importance of paying salaries on time, and the hardship when wages are delayed or insufficient,” he said.
Outlining his agenda, Tuggar said his administration would focus on reviving the state’s economy through agriculture, rural development, and support for small businesses.
He promised targeted investments in both rainy season and dry season farming, livestock rearing by women and youth, and the rehabilitation of forest reserves and transhumance corridors to reduce farmer herder conflict.
“Our state stands at a crossroads. We are rich in history, culture, and human potential, yet many of our people continue to face poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and limited access to quality education and healthcare. This must change, and it will change,” he declared.
He listed household income, purchasing power, and access to basic needs as key indicators his government would track.
“We will work so that heads of households can feed their families, pay rent, school fees, medical bills, and transport costs. So they can attend weddings and naming ceremonies, visit family, and move goods from farm to market,” the former Minister pledged.
Women and youth empowerment, he noted, would be central to his plans. “Youth are the backbone of every society. We will create pathways for them in agribusiness, trade, and skills acquisition.”
Tuggar described his ambition as a call to service rather than a quest for power.
“I am stepping forward not for privilege but for progress. Past leaders in the state have done their part, and we thank them. May Allah reward them and forgive their mistakes. I am coming forward to build on their good legacies and to correct mistakes where they occurred.” He explained.
He thanked the APC leadership at national and state levels, elected legislators, and other dignitaries present at the event.
He also addressed supporters directly, saying their turnout had “touched my heart.”
“I want to declare that this is not just my mission. It is our collective mission. I urge you to continue to support me as you have always done,” he said. “Let us go out and get the job done.”
