Bala Mohammed: Federal Backing Can’t Guarantee Election Victory, Era of Imposition Is Over

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has warned opposition politicians against relying on federal influence to secure electoral victories, saying Nigerians have moved beyond the era when governments could simply impose candidates on voters.

Mohammed spoke on Monday after casting his vote at Model Central Primary School, Yalwan Duguri, in Alkaleri Local Government Area during the ongoing Bauchi State local government elections.

The governor said recent electoral developments, particularly the outcome of the Osun State governorship election, showed that political parties could no longer assume that federal backing would automatically translate into victory at the polls.

He criticised opposition parties that chose to boycott the Bauchi council elections instead of participating and testing their popularity among voters. Mohammed described the decision as a tactical error, arguing that parties should engage voters directly rather than depend on political influence from Abuja.

“If they had listened to me, my advice was that they should have gone ahead to test their popularity. If you sit down at home and think that the Federal Government will give you latitude and leeway to win an election, President Tinubu is showing people that he is a democrat,” he said.

Mohammed pointed to the Osun governorship election, where incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared winner, as evidence that voters can still determine electoral outcomes despite the influence of powerful political actors.

“You have seen what happened in Osun; the people voted, and their votes counted. People should know that there is no person that is going to install them—there is no monarchy here. It is democratic governance,” the governor said.

He urged political parties and candidates to embrace the electoral process, build genuine support among voters and compete for their mandates instead of expecting external forces to deliver victory. Mohammed also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring an open, credible and competitive electoral process across Bauchi State.