Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has endorsed Alhaji Baba Malam Wali, ex-Secretary to the State Government, as his preferred successor.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a stakeholders’ forum of the Yobe All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, on Wednesday night.

The stakeholders described Malam Wali as a seasoned technocrat with the requisite qualifications for effective leadership and governance.

The forum noted that the former SSG had been an active player in successive administrations in the state over the years, positioning him as a strong candidate to sustain the mission and vision of the state’s development agenda.

The party had earlier resolved, at a stakeholders’ meeting last week, to adopt the consensus method in selecting its candidates.

It also endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

Governor Mai Mala Buni and the chairman of the state stakeholders’ forum, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, stated that the party would continue to engage in dialogue to strengthen unity within its ranks.

Wali hails from Nguru Local Government Area in Yobe North, a region that has not produced a governor or deputy governor since 1999—giving his candidacy a strong regional equity appeal.

He obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Ahmadu Bello University.

Wali began his career with the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) before moving to the Directorate for Social Mobilisation (MAMSER), where he served as a Social Mobilisation Officer.

He later worked at the Borno State Governor’s Office as Principal Research Officer and was subsequently appointed Principal Private Secretary (now designated as Chief of Staff) to the Military Governor of Borno State.

Upon his promotion to Permanent Secretary, he served in several key ministries, including Sports and Social Development, Transport and Energy, Environment, and Administration and General Services.

He was later nominated to attend the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, where he completed the Senior Executive Course and earned the title of Member of the National Institute (mni).

After his stint at NIPSS, he returned to the Governor’s Office as Permanent Secretary, Administration and General Services, before being appointed Secretary to the State Government of Yobe State.

He served under Geidam and Buni as SSG.

In March, Wali set a record as the longest-serving Secretary to a State Government in Nigeria, as confirmed by the Progressive Governors Forum.

Meanwhile, has declared his interest to vie for Yobe East Senatorial seat in the next general elections.

The governor, who has since picked up forms for the contest, said the decision following mounting pressure from political stakeholders and supporters within the ruling party.

“I cannot thank you enough, and I pledge to continue serving our people diligently,” he said while receiving the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms purchased on his behalf by the Political and Public Office Holders Association of Zone A Senatorial District in Yobe.

The seat is currently being occupied by Senator Musa Mustapha (Kulas), father-in-law to Geidam.

Before the emergence of Baba Malam Wali as APC consensus candidate, Kulas was seen as an APC governorship frontrunner. (Daily Trust)