Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has officially enacted the state's 2026 Appropriation Bill, valued at N877 billion, into law. The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, January 1, 2026.
Budget Scrutiny and Prudent Adjustments
The governor had initially presented a budget proposal of N878.15 billion to the Bauchi State House of Assembly on November 27. Following what he praised as a robust and non-partisan review process, the legislature made a slight downward adjustment. The final approved figure reflects a prudent reduction of approximately N1.1 billion.
Governor Mohammed highlighted that this reduction was achieved through modest adjustments in recurrent expenditure, without impacting the capital projects outlined in the budget. He stated that the entire process demonstrated fiscal discipline and a shared commitment between the executive and legislative arms to prioritize public interest and service delivery.
Transparent Process and Political Accusations
The Speaker of the House, Abubakar Sulaiman, emphasized that the 2026 Appropriation Law resulted from an inclusive and transparent process. This process involved budget defence sessions, engagements with stakeholders, and rigorous oversight by various committees.
However, shortly after assenting to the budget, Governor Mohammed made strong political statements. As Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, he declared that he would not allow anyone to criminalize him for his refusal to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He accused the APC-led Federal Government of using state institutions and the courts to persecute and prosecute opposition figures in Nigeria. The governor lamented that politics in the country has taken a negative turn but expressed hope due to the presence of commendable organizations.
Recognition as a Safety Ambassador
In a related event, Governor Mohammed was honored with an award of excellence as a Safety Ambassador by the Safety Institute of Nigeria. In his acceptance speech, he dedicated the award to the people of Bauchi State, crediting them for the collective effort that earned the recognition.
He connected this positive recognition to his earlier statements on politics, suggesting that such awards give him hope for the nation's future despite the current political climate.
