BAUCHI — The Majority Leader of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon. Saleh Hodi, has resigned his legislative seat to contest the forthcoming chairmanship election in Shira Local Government Area.
Hodi, who represents Disina Constituency, formally communicated his resignation to the Assembly, with the Speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman, announcing the development during plenary on Wednesday.
According to the Speaker, the resignation followed Hodi’s emergence as the chairmanship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the Shira Local Government election.
“The House received a letter from the Honourable Saleh Hodi formally notifying us of his resignation as the member representing Disina Constituency,” Sulaiman said.
He explained that Hodi’s decision was consequent upon his nomination by the APM to fly the party’s flag in the forthcoming council election.
Hodi, who was first elected into the Assembly in 2019, used his valedictory remarks to appreciate the Speaker, fellow lawmakers, constituents and political stakeholders for their support during his tenure.
He also expressed gratitude to Governor Bala Mohammed for the confidence reposed in him, promising to justify the trust of the people if elected chairman of Shira Local Government.
Reflecting on his years in the legislature, Hodi described his tenure as memorable and said he was grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the development of his constituency and Bauchi State.
He further pledged to exceed the expectations of the people of Shira if given the mandate to lead the council.
Following Hodi’s resignation, the Assembly Speaker announced the appointment of Auwal Yana as the new Majority Leader.
Yana, who represents the constituency, emerged after the APM Executive Council met to fill the leadership vacancy created by Hodi’s departure.
Sulaiman paid tribute to the former Majority Leader, describing their relationship as one that extended beyond legislative responsibilities.
“Our relationship has gone beyond that of colleagues to that of family. We’ve treated one another like biological brothers, and I appreciate your contributions to this House,” the Speaker said.
Other lawmakers also commended Hodi for his dedication, patience and commitment to legislative duties, while wishing him success in his new political ambition.
In his acceptance speech, Yana thanked God, party leaders, stakeholders and Governor Mohammed for the confidence placed in him and pledged to discharge his responsibilities diligently.
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has scheduled August 17, 2026, for the conduct of local government elections across the state.
The commission said chairmanship elections would hold in 19 of the state’s 20 local government areas, while councillorship elections would be conducted in all 20 local government areas.
BASIEC said the election notice was issued in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, which requires electoral bodies to publish notices at least 360 days before an election.
The commission also cited the Supreme Court’s February 20, 2025 judgment on the Rivers State political crisis, saying the requirement constitutes a binding standard for state electoral commissions.
According to BASIEC, Governor Bala Mohammed directed the commission to comply strictly with the relevant legal provisions in declaring the election date.
Credit: PoliticsNigeria except headline
