Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, former chief of air staff and 2023 APC governorship candidate in Bauchi, has announced his exit from active politics.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Abubakar said he was stepping away from “the murky waters of Nigerian politics.” He said he no longer belongs to any political party and will not contest any office, but will continue to support ordinary Nigerians where he can.
Abubakar led the Nigerian Air Force from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. After retiring, he served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Chad and secured the APC governorship ticket in Bauchi ahead of the 2023 elections. He lost to incumbent Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP, polling 432,272 votes to Mohammed’s 525,280.
He was seen as a possible ADC governorship contender for 2027 after recent consultations with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar left the APC for the African Democratic Congress in July 2025, aligning with the opposition coalition at the time.
