Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has thrown his weight behind the idea of a single-term tenure for state governors, arguing that the pursuit of re-election often weakens effective governance.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed commissioners, local government chairmen and their deputies, as well as permanent secretaries and board members, the governor said the desire for a second term limits the ability of leaders to take tough but necessary decisions.
Although Bago, who is two years into his first term, did not suggest how long a single term should last or when such a policy should begin, he openly admitted that political calculations have slowed down decisive action in his administration.
According to him, fear of losing re-election in 2027 has prevented him from implementing certain disciplinary measures that would have moved the state forward.
“There are actions I should have taken in the interest of the state, but I hesitate because of the 2027 election,” he said. “Some people who failed examinations and deserved sanctions were not punished because of second-term considerations.”
Bago stressed that governance in Niger State has become heavily politicised, making it difficult for leaders to act firmly.
“I strongly support a single-term tenure for governors. Everything is now politicised. There are people I want to remove from office, but I cannot. As governor, my attention is divided by the search for a second term, and governance is suffering. With one term, a governor will remain focused from start to finish,” he added.
On security, the governor described the recent abduction of students, pupils and teachers of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, as unusual and deeply troubling for the state.
He recalled a time when forests across Niger State were safe for activities such as Boy Scout expeditions, lamenting that those same forests are now being used as hideouts by bandits.
“Kidnapping and abduction were once alien to us in Niger State,” he said, urging residents to unite against criminality and pray for the safe rescue of the remaining abducted schoolchildren and their teachers.
Bago also charged the newly sworn-in officials to align with his New Niger agenda, which he said is aimed at transforming the state socially, economically and politically.
He emphasised that his administration would not tolerate discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or background.
“We must build a new Niger State where nobody is written off. This is the time to correct our mistakes and create a society where everyone has equal opportunity,” he said.
The governor, however, did not announce portfolios for the new commissioners, promising that their assignments would be made public within the next week.
