Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, has dismissed accusations that he is involved in financing terrorists as unfounded and politically motivated, claiming that certain political actors are actively trying to damage his reputation and undermine his integrity.
According to reports, the governor made the accusation on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Mohammed insisted that there was no reason to link Bauchi to insecurity or banditry, calling him one of the safest states in the North.
Additionally, my state is the safest in the Northeast, if not northern Nigeria, and I am a current governor. We were able to do this by using wisdom, tact, and expertise. I’ve never been connected to anything like that,” he stated.
Pointed fingers at Wike
The governor directly accused Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, of being responsible for purported attempts to destabilize Bauchi State and associate him with banditry.
“I am aware of the antics, mudslinging, and defaming a dog in order to hang it.” We need to destroy opposition leaders like myself. If not, there is no justification for anyone to link me to banditry,” Mohammed declared.
He warned that the accusations could ruin his reputation and political career, describing them as hurtful and destructive.
He continued, “It is extremely painful for a rising politician and opposition leader to be accused of terrorism.”
Mohammed also claimed that attempts had been made to link his relatives to corruption cases, but he maintained that the charges were baseless.
“There was nothing like that, nothing at all, and one of my nephews was mentioned in a corruption charge,” he stated.
The governor claims that he has written to the Federation’s Attorney General, copying pertinent security agencies, and that he may bring the issue to the world community.
“This is victimization and a violation of my fundamental human rights, so I am going to escalate it to the international community and ask for protection,” he declared.
He went on to accuse those close to Bola Tinubu of working against him, saying that attempts had been made to coerce him into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“Wike is a PDP undertaker”
Mohammed called Wike a “undertaker” in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and did not hold back in his comments.
He is not a true member of the PDP. In our party, he is an undertaker. The governor declared, “It is against the law of nature to be in two places at once.”
He cautioned that the nation could suffer much from leaders’ political intolerance, haughtiness, and impunity.
Wike retaliates.
Wike responded to Mohammed’s allegations during a “thank you” visit to Rivers State’s Abua-Odual Local Government Area on Thursday, characterizing them as an effort to shift the blame for internal political issues.
“I observed the governor of Bauchi claiming that I am to blame for all of his issues. Why are you fighting if I have the ability to set fire to his state? Wike said.
The former governor of Rivers State maintained that Mohammed’s difficulties were self-inflicted and had nothing to do with him.
“Go deal with your issue.” I told you to leave my state alone when you came. He doesn’t even have a party to introduce a successor today,” Wike remarked.
Wike disassociated himself from the anti-graft organization in response to allegations that he was behind pressure on Mohammed’s colleagues from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
What’s my business if the EFCC is pursuing them and he claims it’s me? Go there and have fun if your state is clean,” he continued.
Wike urged the Bauchi governor to “face his problems” and keep him out of the dispute, insisting that his differences with Mohammed were solely about party leadership concerns rather than personal finances or governance.
