A leading governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Nura Manu Soro, has declared that the state requires visionary, energetic, and modern leadership in 2027 to unlock its vast economic potential and address what he described as years of developmental shortcomings.
Speaking with journalists, Dr. Soro said Bauchi remains richly endowed with natural and human resources but has failed to maximise its advantages in areas such as agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, and emerging opportunities in the hydrocarbon sector.
According to him, the state possesses extensive land resources suitable for agricultural and infrastructural expansion, major waterways that could transform agricultural productivity, and strategic geographical importance as a gateway to several states in Nigeria’s North-East region.
He argued that despite these advantages, Bauchi is still lagging behind in key development indicators and therefore requires leadership capable of embracing innovation, technology, and global best practices.
Addressing the ongoing race for the APC governorship ticket, Soro insisted that the contest remains open, noting that no aspirant had been officially declared the party’s candidate.
He urged the APC leadership to respect the consensus arrangement among aspirants and ensure that the ticket is given to the candidate with the strongest capacity to unite the party and secure victory in the 2027 election.
“Fortunately, the party is yet to issue a Certificate of Return to any aspirant, so we are all hoping that the party will use the opportunity to give the ticket to someone that will galvanise the people of Bauchi towards voting for the party in 2027,” he stated.
The entrepreneur and philanthropist highlighted his age as a strategic advantage, saying that youthful energy, adaptability to modern trends, and exposure gained from international experience make him better positioned to drive development.
Soro said his background as a businessman and global traveler had exposed him to successful development models in countries such as China and Indonesia, which he believes can provide valuable lessons for Bauchi’s transformation.
He maintained that modern governance requires leaders who can respond quickly to changing global realities, particularly in areas of technology, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development.
On youth empowerment and human capital development, the APC aspirant said one of his major priorities would be identifying talents, building skills, and creating opportunities that would allow young people in Bauchi to compete at both national and international levels.
“We have a good population of youths that we can imbue with skills that make them global champions in their chosen fields while at the same time making development penetrate to the grassroots,” he said.
Soro also called on older political leaders within the party to play mentoring roles by supporting a new generation of leaders with the energy and capacity to implement progressive ideas.
While acknowledging the qualifications of other APC aspirants, he maintained that the party should prioritise selecting the candidate best positioned to reclaim the state in 2027.
He described Bauchi as a traditional APC stronghold that is temporarily under the control of another political platform and warned that the party must not underestimate the strength of the incumbent administration, which possesses the advantages of incumbency.
According to him, the APC needs a candidate who understands the current political realities in the state and has deep grassroots connections across its three senatorial zones.
Expressing confidence in his popularity, Soro asserted that his long-standing relationship with ordinary citizens, charitable activities, and extensive outreach efforts have made him the most formidable aspirant in the race.
He said his ambition to become governor is driven by a desire to expand his service to the people and ensure balanced development across Bauchi North, Central, and South.
“The other parties know that they stand no chance once I’m the APC governorship candidate. They know the person that has the widest contact and reach with the people,” Soro declared.
As political activities ahead of the 2027 elections continue to gather momentum, Soro’s remarks underscore the growing competition within the APC over who will emerge as the party’s flag bearer in the battle to reclaim the Bauchi Government House.
