The former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has formally entered the 2027 governorship race in Bauchi State after purchasing the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination form for ₦50 million.
A video posted on Wednesday by a Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, Imran Mohammed, showed Tuggar signing the required documents and accepting the nomination form from party officials.
Tuggar had earlier announced his intention to run, saying his ambition was one to unite rather than divide the party.
“This is not just my ambition, it is a collective mission to take Bauchi State forward,” he said during a recent visit to the APC secretariat in Bauchi.
He said his entry into the race would boost internal democracy and healthy competition within the party.
The former minister who resigned from his post in March 2026 in line with a directive by President Bola Tinubu asking political appointees seeking elective office to resign, reiterated his commitment to party discipline.
Tuggar promised to support whoever emerges as the APC candidate, stressing that he would not go to court against fellow aspirants.
He said the unity and cohesion in the party was still key to winning in the 2027 polls.
Tuggar, while speaking on his vision for the state, said his governorship ambition was driven by the need to address the pressing socio-economic challenges in Bauchi.
He listed poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and gaps in education and healthcare as major problems that needed urgent attention.
The former minister promised to give priority to agriculture, support small and medium scale enterprises and harness the state’s solid minerals potential.
He also promised to increase security, ensure that workers’ salaries are paid on time and widen access to quality education and health care services.
