Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has admitted that political considerations ahead of the 2027 general elections have limited his ability to remove underperforming political appointees.
The governor made the disclosure on Friday during the inauguration of newly appointed commissioners, as well as elected chairmen and vice-chairmen of local government councils across the state.
According to Bago, fear of electoral backlash has forced him to exercise restraint in taking decisive actions against officials who have failed to meet expectations.
He argued that Nigeria’s governance system would perform better if elected and political office holders were restricted to a single term, saying the current structure encourages complacency and delays critical decisions.
“I strongly believe in a single term of governance. Everything has now been reduced to politics. There are actions I would have taken immediately, but I am postponing them because of elections,” the governor said.
Bago revealed that some appointees had repeatedly failed internal assessments and could not advance in responsibility, yet continued to occupy strategic positions within government.
“If there was only one term, special advisers, board members and directors would have no excuse not to perform. Everyone would know they have just one opportunity to deliver,” he added.
The governor identified procrastination as a major obstacle to effective governance, warning that constant focus on future political calculations undermines present leadership responsibilities.
“Our problem is always tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, whereas our tomorrow is now,” he said.
