Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of plotting to destroy his integrity.
Governor Mohammed made the allegation on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, where he also denied any link to banditry and described Minister Wike as an undertaker in the Peoples Democratic Party rather than a genuine member.
The governor said claims linking him to banditry were part of an effort to damage his reputation.
“And I’m a governor, serving governor, and my state is the most secure state in the northeast, if not in northern Nigeria. And we did this through just not like that, through knowledge, through tact, through wisdom, and nothing of that sort had been associated with me.
“But I know the shenanigans. I know the mud-slinging, people giving a dog a name in order to hang it.
“Opposition leaders like me must be destroyed. Otherwise, there is no reason somebody can associate me with banditry.
“And I think I need to clear myself at every level. I’ll be bothered because my name and integrity will be destroyed. I’m a politician,” he said.
Mohammed alleged that there were people behind the accusations and directly mentioned the FCT minister.
“There are people behind it, and I know, and I’m going to mention them today. Somebody said he’s going to put fire in my state, FCT minister Wike.
“A rising politician, a leader of the opposition, to be accused of terrorism, it’s very painful. One of my nephews was mentioned in the corruption charge and there was nothing like that, nothing,” he said.
He added that he had written to the Attorney General of the Federation and copied security agencies on the matter.
“I have written to the Attorney General of the Federation. I’ve copied all the agencies, and I’m going to escalate it to the international community, asking for protection because this is victimisation, protection of my fundamental human rights,” the governor said.
Mohammed also claimed that President Bola Tinubu was surrounded by people who wanted to destroy him politically.
“Some want me to join [the All Progressives Congress], some don’t want, like Wike. Wike is a big drag on the administration, and the President should know. I have nothing against him.
“He [Wike] is an undertaker in our party. He is not there as a genuine member of the PDP, and I fought him. I was even at the secretariat when he went there to take over. You cannot be in two places at the same time. It’s against the rule of nature.
“He is with them. So, please, let us be honest, even while we are looking at this thing from the superficial point of view, because all these issues have consequences.
“We are the leaders today. But we should not think that we are arrogant and that we can do things with a lot of impunity, and nobody questions it,” he stated.
The Peoples Democratic Party has remained divided since it lost the 2023 presidential election to the All Progressives Congress.
The party has also lost key figures, including four governors, to the APC.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke recently defected to the Accord Party.
The Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee expelled Wike, former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose and other party chieftains.
Another faction of the NWC, backed by the FCT minister, expelled Mohammed, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Turaki, among others.
On Wednesday, Bala Mohammed alleged that the Federal Government was using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to harass him and officials of his administration over his refusal to join the APC.
The EFCC recently filed fresh criminal charges against the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu and other defendants over alleged terrorism financing involving a total of $9.7 million.
