2027: Why Imba Remains a Choice for Bauchi North

By: Surajo Shuaibu 

There are moments in political history when the people look beyond slogans and ask a more important question: who has demonstrated the capacity to make a difference in the lives of ordinary people? In Bauchi North, the name of Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Baba, popularly known as IMBA, continues to resonate because of his previous record of public service, particularly during his tenure representing Katagum Federal Constituency in the 8th House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. His legislative experience is documented, including his service as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts. 

For many young people across Katagum, IMBA's period in office represented an opportunity to reconnect representation with the aspirations of the younger generation. His supporters continue to associate his tenure with interventions aimed at creating opportunities for youths, women and vulnerable members of society. The significance of such interventions goes beyond the immediate material benefit: at a time when unemployment and limited opportunities were major concerns, access to empowerment and public-sector opportunities could change the direction of an individual's life and, by extension, that of an entire family.

One of the areas in which IMBA built a strong connection with his constituents was youth empowerment. Rather than treating young people merely as participants in political activities, his supporters point to his efforts to open doors of opportunity for them through empowerment initiatives and access to government opportunities. Contemporary reporting from 2019 also quoted Katagum youth leaders praising developmental projects associated with his representation and describing the support for his political leadership. 

His approach to representation was also not limited to young men. Women and vulnerable members of the constituency formed an important part of the constituency-development conversation. Empowerment programmes that provide people with the means to start or strengthen small businesses can have an effect that extends far beyond the original beneficiary. For a woman who receives support to expand her trade, or a vulnerable person who receives assistance to become economically active, representation becomes something tangible rather than simply a political promise.

Another dimension of IMBA's public service record is his ability to connect constituents with the wider opportunities available through the Federal Government. His political career included national-level relationships and responsibilities, and the National Assembly's profile records his experience as a member of the House from 2015 to 2019 and Deputy Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. This type of experience matters because effective representation at the Senate requires more than constituency visibility; it requires the ability to navigate national institutions and advocate for one's people.

The subsequent appointment of Ibrahim Mohammed Baba as a Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission in 2024 further demonstrated that his experience was being deployed at the federal level beyond elective office. A contemporaneous report welcomed the appointment and highlighted his previous National Assembly responsibilities. For Bauchi North, this is relevant because it adds another chapter to his experience in dealing with federal institutions and public administration.

IMBA's political journey has also demonstrated a continuing connection with the people and the political structure of Bauchi North. After contesting the 2023 Bauchi North senatorial election under the SDP, he returned to the APC in May 2023, saying he wanted to contribute to the reinvigoration and strengthening of the party. His return placed his experience once again within the APC structure and positioned him for another opportunity to serve the people through the party.

That opportunity came in the 2026 APC senatorial primary for Bauchi North. Reports of the primary stated that IMBA secured the APC ticket after polling 22,764 votes, ahead of Senator Samaila Dahuwa Kaila and Sirajo Ibrahim Tanko. His emergence therefore represents not merely another political contest, but a return to the national legislative arena with experience accumulated from the House of Representatives, federal public service and political engagement within the senatorial district.

If elected to the Senate in 2027, the expectation from his supporters is that IMBA would build upon this experience by expanding opportunities for youths, women, entrepreneurs and vulnerable citizens across Bauchi North. The Senate provides opportunities to advocate for constituency projects, federal programmes, skills acquisition, education, employment opportunities and access to government institutions. His supporters therefore see his previous constituency experience as a foundation upon which a broader senatorial programme can be developed.

Ultimately, the argument surrounding IMBA is about continuity, experience and the possibility of scaling up a record of constituency engagement from the federal constituency to the entire senatorial district. Bauchi North encompasses a wider population with diverse needs, and the challenge before any senator is to ensure that representation reaches ordinary citizens. For those who remember his years representing Katagum, IMBA's candidacy offers the prospect of taking the lessons and relationships acquired at the House of Representatives and applying them on a larger platform. In the 2027 contest, his supporters will therefore present him as a politician whose case is rooted not only in political ambition, but in a history of public service and a stated commitment to expanding opportunities for the people of Bauchi North.