Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Gombe State, Bala-Bello Tinka, has promised to introduce free education from primary school through university level if elected governor in 2027, declaring that financial constraints should not prevent children from poor and less privileged families from accessing education. Tinka made the pledge on Tuesday while addressing residents and supporters during campaign engagements across Gombe metropolis and its environs, according to a report by Punch.
"Education should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it," Tinka said. "We will provide free education from primary school through university so that children from poor and less privileged families can have equal opportunities to learn and build their future." The promise forms part of a broader policy platform that includes free antenatal care for pregnant women, free medical treatment for children from birth to five years, and free healthcare for the elderly, alongside pledges on security, youth employment and economic empowerment. Tinka said the measures would reduce the financial burden on families and improve access to essential maternal and child healthcare services across the state.
Central to Tinka's campaign is his pledge to lift the restriction on night operations by commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Achaba. The Gombe State Government, under Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, imposed the restriction between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. in June 2025 as part of measures to curb crime. Tinka said the policy had affected thousands of young people who depend on motorcycle transportation for their livelihoods, as well as residents who rely on Achaba for movement, particularly at night. "If elected governor, I will review the restrictions placed on Achaba operators and restore 24-hour operations, subject to appropriate safety and regulatory measures," he said. "Thousands of young people depend on this business for their livelihood, while many residents depend on commercial motorcycles for transportation, especially during the late hours. We cannot ignore their needs." The restriction has been a contentious issue in Gombe, where motorcycle transportation is a significant source of employment and a primary means of mobility for many residents.
On security, Tinka promised to tackle street crimes, particularly phone and handbag snatching, within the first two months of his administration. "Within the first two months of assuming office, we will take decisive action against phone and handbag snatching. Residents should be able to move freely within their communities without fear of criminal attacks," he said. He pledged to strengthen security efforts and work closely with security agencies and community stakeholders to address street-level crime. The commitment to improving security aligns with the concerns of residents in Gombe metropolis, where petty crime has been a recurring issue and where the state government's motorcycle restriction was itself justified on security grounds. Tinka's approach appears to balance security concerns with the economic interests of Achaba operators, a constituency that has felt marginalised by the restriction.
Tinka's campaign engagements on Tuesday covered Gombe metropolis and its environs, where he addressed residents and supporters. He said his administration would prioritise security, education, healthcare, youth employment and economic empowerment if elected, framing his platform as one that directly addresses the everyday challenges facing the people of Gombe State. "We will focus on policies that directly address the everyday challenges facing our people. Our priorities will be security, free and accessible education, maternal and child healthcare, youth employment and economic empowerment," he said. He urged residents of Gombe metropolis and other parts of the state to support the ADC in the 2027 governorship election, promising an administration focused on improving residents' welfare and living standards.
The promises build on a series of campaign pledges that Tinka has made in recent weeks. On October 2, Punch reported that he had promised free fuel for commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators if elected governor in the 2027 election. At that engagement, he also pledged free medical treatment for children below five years and residents aged above 70. The combination of free fuel, free healthcare and free education represents one of the more expansive policy platforms put forward by any governorship candidate in the state, though the fiscal implications of implementing such promises have not been fully detailed. Tinka has not disclosed the estimated cost of his proposals or the revenue sources that would fund them, and the ADC's ability to deliver on such commitments would depend on the state's fiscal capacity and the party's capacity to secure the support of the state legislature.
Tinka emerged as the ADC governorship candidate for the 2027 election after the party's primary held in May 2026, according to Premium Times. He is contesting against the backdrop of a competitive political landscape in Gombe, where the All Progressives Congress has governed since 2019 and where Governor Muhammadu Yahaya is serving his second term. The APC has adopted Dr Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna as its governorship candidate following consultations among party stakeholders, and Gwamna has been campaigning on his record of educational investment, including a foreign scholarship initiative that funded ten Gombe indigenes to study in Morocco across various fields from inception to completion in 2022. Students in the state have also cited education interventions, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, among their reasons for backing President Bola Tinubu and Gwamna ahead of the 2027 elections. The APC candidate has also outlined plans to train over one million youths across 1,600 centres, with free tuition, monthly stipends and starter packs in trades such as electrical work, welding and digital skills.
The political context of Tinka's promises is significant. The 2027 governorship election in Gombe is scheduled for February 6, alongside the state assembly elections, while the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16. President Bola Tinubu is seeking a second term on the APC platform, and the governorship contest in Gombe will be shaped by the broader national political dynamics as well as local issues. Tinka's focus on free education, healthcare, Achaba operations and street crime addresses constituencies that have felt the impact of state policies, particularly the motorcycle restriction, which affected thousands of young operators. His campaign is positioning him as a candidate who will reverse what he describes as policies that have harmed ordinary residents while also promising aggressive action on security and economic empowerment.
For the people of Gombe State, the 2027 election will present a choice between the APC's record under Governor Yahaya and the ADC's alternative platform as articulated by Tinka. Whether voters are persuaded by promises of free education from primary to university, free healthcare and the restoration of night-time motorcycle operations will be determined at the polls. For Tinka, the coming months will require translating broad promises into a detailed, costed and credible policy platform that can withstand scrutiny and convince voters that the ADC is a viable alternative. As he put it, education should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it, and if elected, his administration will focus on policies that directly address the everyday challenges facing the people of Gombe. The task now is to convince the electorate that those policies are achievable, and that the promises made on the campaign trail can be kept.
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