By Ahmed Ahmed
Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir of Bauchi State was on Monday sworn in by the Chief Judge of State, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar for a second tenure of 4 years.
Mohammed alongside his Deputy, Muhammad Auwal Jatau took the oaths of allegiance and office as administered by the Chief Judge Talatu Umar at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium among thousands of supporters.
Shortly after taking oaths of allegiance and office, Bala Mohammed in his inauguration speech titled: “My Bauchi Project: Consolidating the Mandate to Place Bauchi First!
He said “I accept this call to serve, not because I see myself as the most qualified but because it is a divine mandate over which I have no choice.”
According to him, “Looking into the faces of the exuberant crowd of our patriots here present, I recognize the overwhelming significance of this moment.”
He said that, “I appreciate the trust that has been reposed in our administration by the majority of our people who voted for me. I am conscious that my re-election signifies the endorsement of the manifesto of our great party.
“My Bauchi Project” agenda on which platforms I ran for election in 2019. I am honored that today’s inauguration represents a validation of the performance of our Administration during the first term.
“I wish to recall with extreme joy and gratitude that, on this day four years ago, I stood at this podium to take the oath of office and oath of allegiance as your Governor and to deliver my first inaugural address to a mammoth crowd like this one.” he said.
”I find it indeed humbling that 48 months, (that is, 208 weeks or 1,460 days) later, here I am again to deliver my second and, by the provisions of our constitution, final inaugural address on the auspicious occasion of my swearing in as Governor of our great state for another four years. He said.
According to him,”.But it goes beyond that. I see it as a summons to do more. Not as Governor of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) under whose platform I ran or any partisan or sectarian interest but for everyone residing in Bauchi State: indigene and non-indigene, citizen and foreigner, rich and poor no matter one’s station in life.”
The Governor said that,”Yet, while acknowledging the neutrality demanded of me in my position, it is only proper that I acknowledge with gratitude first, my political party that gave me the platform to run.
Secondly, also deserving of my gratitude are members of my team: the SSG, my Chief of Staff, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Special Assistants who brought their expertise and competences and stood by me, all through both exciting and challenging moments, to produce the performance that culminated in my re-election.”
He stressed that,”I would like to say that, for me, the dissolution of the State Executive Council will not put a stop to the virile relationship that we cherish. On that note, should circumstances dictate the return of any of you, It is my sincere wish that you will avail the state the benefit of your patriotic service.”
“Not the least, I want to thank our royal fathers, my Lords spiritual and temporal, civil society organizations, my colleagues, members of the fourth estate and all our compatriots without whose continuing prayers and support this day would not have been possible,” he said.