Bauchi governor nominates own chief of staff as deputy governor

Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State has nominated his Chief of Staff, Audu Sule, as the deputy governor.

Umar Sade, state Commissioner for Information, confirmed the nomination to Journalists on Saturday in Bauchi.

“The governor nominated Audu Sule Katagum as the deputy governor after due consultation with stakeholders in the state,” he said.

The former deputy governor, Nuhu Gidado, resigned his appointment last week.

The information officer of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Lamara Chinade, also confirmed to the NAN on Saturday that the name of Mr Sule had been submitted for confirmation.
“The name was submitted last week and the house may sit next week to confirm his nomination,” he told NAN.

Mr. Gidado’s departure brought to three the number of high-ranking officials that have left Governor Abubakar’s cabinet.

In December 2017, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Shehu Ningi, resigned from his position.

Mr. Ningi stepped down a day after Governor Abubakar presented the 2017 budget estimates to the state’s House of Assembly.

The then commissioner said he left because the governor did not encourage members of his cabinet to offer advice on how to run the state.

Mr. Ningi explained that the environment in which he would have exercised his advisory role as member of the State Executive Council was “unaccommodating, debilitating and non-adviser friendly”.

In March, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Samaila Sanusi, also resigned due to “unfriendly working environment”.

Mr Sanusi said all avenues to hold talks with the state governor on official issues and development were unsuccessful.

Also around the same time, Munnir Yisin, deputy caretaker chairman of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, also tendered his resignation.