As Adamawa's Sallah celebrations turned into a campaign rally, prominent APC governorship aspirant Dr. Salihu Girie Bakari received a resounding show of support from high-profile endorsements across the state. The seasoned educationist leveraged the festive period to engage extensively with stakeholders, citizens, and community leaders. Dr. Bakari's impressive credentials, which include serving as Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board, ex-Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Higher Education, and Director of Research and Development/Centres of Excellence at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in Abuja, have earned him widespread admiration.
Former Education Secretaries representing all 21 local government areas of Adamawa State hailed Dr. Bakari as an outstanding educationist and administrator. They praised his visionary tenure at ADSUBEB, which saw transformative reforms in infrastructure, teacher employment, training, and provision of furniture across primary and secondary schools statewide. The endorsements poured in from across the state, with Shuaibu Alhaji Yahaya Gombi describing Dr. Bakari as "a leader you cannot forget in the education sector an excellent leader, team player, and master of supervision."
Augustine Ayuba, another former Education Secretary and ex-Commissioner for Border Integration, Youth, and Sports, praised Dr. Bakari as "a peg in a round hole" with unmatched capacity to "change the narrative" and "recreate history" in Adamawa. A delegation of former Permanent Secretaries visited Dr. Bakari's residence in Yola during Sallah greetings, pledging unwavering loyalty and readiness to support his vision to become the next governor.
The endorsement of Dr. Salihu Girie Bakari by high-profile figures in Adamawa State sends a strong signal that he is the preferred candidate for the APC governorship ticket in 2027. Former Education Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries have vouched for his exceptional leadership qualities, citing his transformative reforms in education and infrastructure development. As Dr. Bakari's popularity grows, it remains to be seen whether his opponents will be able to match his level of grassroots support. For now, it's clear that Dr. Bakari's vision for Adamawa has resonated with the state's power brokers. The question is, will he be able to translate this support into tangible development for the people of Adamawa?
