Air Vice-Marshal Bali Raises The Stakes As He Joins Plateau South Senatorial Race

The complexion of the race to represent Plateau South Senatorial District in the National Assembly in 2023 has changed with the declaration of interest by Vice Air Marshal Napoleon Bali (retd).

AVM Bali, who retired from the Nigerian Air Force as Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP) HQ NAF after an illustrious 35 years’ service, will follow in the steps of former senior military officers who joined politics and served in the senate.

Late John Shagaya, a retired military officer, represented Plateau South at the Senate from 2007—2011, before he died in a car crash in 2018. Jeremiah Useni, another retired military general, also won the election to represent the zone in the senate from 2015 to 2019.

AVM Bali, a former air chief who won several awards while in service, is favoured by history to have a successful run at the Senate in 2023.

Speaking on his motivation for entering the race for the Senate, he declared, “My interest is predicated on the fact that I have in the past played very active roles in the development of my immediate Constituency through various developmental initiatives that I have emplaced.

“These I have done consistently since my youthful days to the position of a Retired 2-Star General in the Nigerian Air Force.

“I strongly believe that I am well positioned to deploy my leadership skills and wide contacts and Security background and expertise to add value to my senatorial zone as well as in developing solutions that would help resolve the security challenges facing our dear constituency.”

He promised to leverage his goodwill and wide contacts to promote the socio-economic development of his people.

AVM Bali is worried about the security situation of the state, and particularly of his senatorial zone where constant conflict between herdsmen and farmers has led to grave insecurity.

This is a situation the retired air chief is willing to turn around by leveraging on his training and vast experience in the military.

“I will like to add that I have gained a lot of experience during the course of my illustrious career and had the opportunity while in active service to provide solutions towards tackling insecurity, while also engaging communities, home and abroad in peacebuilding and negotiations towards a better society,” he stated.

AVM Bali, who hopes to contest on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, will battle with the incumbent, Prof. Nora Dadu’ut, of the All Progressive Congress.

Dadu’ut won the Plateau South Senatorial bye-election conducted on Saturday, December 5, 2020 after she defeated George Daika of the PDP in a close race which saw her polled 83,141 votes over Daika’s 70,838 votes.

With 2023 elections just around the corner, AVM Bali’s entry into the race offers the people of the zone more opportunity for quality representation at the National Assembly.

AVM Bali was born on 28 November 1963 in Langtang, Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State. He attended Boys Secondary School, Gindiri from 1977 to 1982 and gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1983 as a member of 33 Regular Course.

 He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in 1986, and had his Basic Flying Course in 303 Flying Training School (FTS), Kano from 1990 to 1992 and was thereafter trained as an Instructor Pilot (IP) on jet aircraft between 1998 and 1999 in the same Institution.

 On completion of his IP Course in 1999, Napoleon attended Joint Air Course (JAWC), Hyderabad, India where he graduated with an “Excellent Grade”. The Air Officer also attended his Senior Staff Course at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) from 2001 to 2002 and graduated with C+ grade.

He was a participant of Course 19 at the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja from 2010 to 2011 where he also graduated with the prestigious C+ grade. He has a Master’s Degree (MSc) in Security and Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan in 2013.

The Air officer has flown over 3,000 hours inclusive of instructional hours. As an experienced IP, he was fundamental in grooming young pilots in 011 Presidential Air Fleet (011 PAF) during his tour of duty in the Unit.

He was also an instructor on the L39ZA in 303 Flying Training School (FTS) where he trained members of Basic Flying Courses 12A, 12B and 13.

Most of his former students are fighter-pilots in Operational Units and also Captains on various aircraft types in the NAF.

He served as the Command Operations Officer (COO) Headquarters Tactical Air Command (HQ TAC) Makurdi from August 2015 to February 2016 where his great skills in coordinating the operational activities of TAC, particular in the support of the mission in the North East earned him a “Letter of Commendation” from the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), TAC.

AVM Bali is a graduate of Programme on Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS) at George Marshall European Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and he’s an accredited PTSS Global Resource Person on Security, Counter-Insurgency, and Counter-Terrorism, among others.

Having successfully completed PTSS, Bali is positioned to add value to global efforts to mitigate the activities of non-state actors and sponsors, especially in Nigeria.

He is married to Mrs. Julcit Bali and has two children.