2023 Election: Meet Major Governorship Candidates In Borno As Zulum Seek Re-election

The March 11 governorship election in Bauchi State will be contested majorly between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Action Alliance (AA) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Naija News understands that Borno State residents have been at the mercy of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terror groups in the last few years.

The North-Eastern region has suffered the heat of a series of attacks that have claimed scores of lives, including kidnapping.

However, the 2023 governorship election may be a game-changer in the state. See below a brief write-up about candidates contesting to succeed Zulum.

Babagana Zulum

Babagana Zulum

The 53-year-old is the incumbent governor of Borno State, seeking re-election on the platform of the APC, the party which brought him to power.

Zulum won the governorship election in 2019 and has since battled with terrorists throughout his tenure. The APC chieftain is considered one of the respectful governors of the nation’s ruling party, considering how he embarked on some projects despite a series of hits by terrorists.

The Governor had escaped different assassination attempts by terrorists in the state, Naija News recalls.

Before his political move, Zulum served with Borno State Civil Service as an Assistant Technical Officer in 1989 at the State’s Ministry of Agriculture.

In 1990, he moved into Borno State Unified Local Government Service as Senior Field Overseer and Principal Water Engineer. In 2000, Zulum took up an appointment with the University of Maiduguri as an assistant Lecturer, where he rose to the rank of Professor. He went further to achieve more to his portfolio before joining politics.

Ali Jajari

Mohammed Ali Jajari

Naija News recalls that Mohammed Ali Jajari won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election in May 2022 and emerged as the standard flagbearer for the opposition camp to challenge Governor Zulum.

Jajari had polled 487 votes to defeat Mohammed Imam, who polled 362 in the primary election.

Babagana Buji

Action Alliance (AA) is fielding Babagana Buji to challenge the Zulum and Jajiri, who both belong to known opposition camps come March 11.

The politician is said to be 42 years of age.

However, it should be on record that APC cleared Borno State in the just concluded presidential election. Naija News recalls that APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, polled 252,282 votes across the 27 local government areas of Borno State in the February 25th election.

The LGAs in the state include Gubio, Kaga, Magumeri, Mafa, Kwaya Kusar, Konduga, Nganzai, Dikwa, Bayo, Abadan, Mobbar, Gwoza, Shani, Kala/Balge, Ngala, Marte, Jere, Askira, Chibok, Monguno, Damboa, Hawul, Guzamala, Biu and Kukawa.