No fewer than 14 political parties have fielded candidates for the March 18 governorship election in Bauchi.

The list of the candidates is contained in a document released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bauchi.

INEC’s head of department, voter education and publicity in Bauchi, Adamu Gujungu, confirmed the development on Tuesday in Bauchi.

According to INEC, Governor Bala Mohammed is seeking reelection on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Major contenders in the race include Mr Mohammed’s opponent, ex-chief of air staff, Baba Saddique Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Haliru Jika of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). Also in the race are Musa Magaji of the Action Alliance (AA), Idris Buhari of the African Action Congress (AAC), Saleh Dahiru of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mustapha Usman, African Democratic Party (ADP) and Isa Auwal of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

Others are Abubakar Ibrahim of the Labour Party, Saleh Suleiman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Mohammed Aminu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Hassan Khalid of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Kabiru Abdulhamid and Umar Farouk-Ahmed are contesting the election on the platforms of the Action People’s Party (APP) and People’s Redemption Party (PRP), respectively.

According to INEC, 276 candidates fielded by the parties are vying for the 31 state constituencies election.

The March 18 governorship election will be held for governors in 31 out of 36 states, while the Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa elections will be held on November 11.

Eighteen incumbent governors are ineligible for reelection because of the two-term limit.

(NAN)