Former Borno Works Commissioner Enters Governorship Race as APC Begins Early Political Realignments

(L-R; Babagana Zulum and Babagana Zulum. Credit: Dauda Illiya. Photo by Punch news)

Mustapha Gubio, Borno State’s most recent Commissioner for Works and Housing, has accepted the nomination form to run for the state’s upcoming governorship.

Dauda Illiya, the candidate, and Tahir Monguno, the senator from Borno North Senatorial District, formally delivered the form to the state’s governor, Babagana Zulum, in Maiduguri, according to a widely shared photo released by the governor’s spokesperson on Tuesday.

“Zulum Receives Borno APC Guber Aspirant, Engr. Mustapha Gubio,” Dauda said in a brief message on his Facebook page.

Gubio is the first candidate in the state to receive the APC gubernatorial nomination form.

Gubio managed infrastructure projects around the state while serving as Borno State Commissioner for Works and Housing until his resignation.

According to PidomNigeria Online, Zulum authorized the State Executive Council’s dissolution on March 30 and instructed all commissioners to transfer their ministries’ operations to permanent secretaries.

In a statement, Bukar Tijani, the Secretary to the State Government, stated that the decision is intended to create a favorable atmosphere for council members who might want to run for elected seats in the upcoming general elections.

According to the statement, “the decision is to provide an enabling environment for any member of the council who may wish to contest elective positions in the forthcoming general elections.”

As a result, Governor Zulum has instructed all commissioners to turn over their ministries’ operations to the Permanent Secretaries by Friday, April 3, 2026 at the latest.