Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has alleged that some political actors are deliberately working to tarnish his image and destroy his integrity, dismissing claims linking him to terrorism financing as baseless and politically motivated.
Naijaonpoint reports that the governor made the allegation on Thursday while speaking on Sunrise Daily, on Channels Television.
Mohammed described Bauchi as one of the safest states in the North, insisting that there was no justification for associating him with banditry or insecurity.
“And I’m a governor, a serving governor, and my state is the most secure state in the North-East, if not in northern Nigeria. We achieved this through knowledge, tact and wisdom. Nothing of that sort has ever been associated with me,” he said.
Fingers pointed at Wike
The governor directly accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being behind alleged attempts to link him with banditry and destabilise Bauchi State.
“I know the shenanigans, the mud-slinging, giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Opposition leaders like me must be destroyed. Otherwise, there is no reason anybody should associate me with banditry,” Mohammed said.
He described the allegations as painful and damaging, warning that such claims could destroy his name and political career.
“A rising politician, a leader of the opposition, to be accused of terrorism, it is very painful,” he added.
Mohammed also alleged that efforts had been made to implicate his relatives in corruption cases, insisting that the accusations were unfounded.
“One of my nephews was mentioned in a corruption charge and there was nothing like that – absolutely nothing,” he said.
According to the governor, he has written to the Attorney General of the Federation and copied relevant security agencies, adding that he may take the matter to the international community.
“I am going to escalate it to the international community, asking for protection because this is victimisation and a violation of my fundamental human rights,” he said.
He further accused individuals around Bola Tinubu of working against him, claiming there were attempts to pressure him into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress.
‘Wike is an undertaker in PDP’
Mohammed did not mince words in his criticism of Wike, describing him as an “undertaker” in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“He is not in the PDP as a genuine member. He is an undertaker in our party. You cannot be in two places at the same time, it’s against the rule of nature,” the governor said.
He warned that political intolerance, arrogance and impunity among leaders could have grave consequences for the country.
Wike fires back
Reacting during a “thank you” visit to Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday, Wike dismissed Mohammed’s claims, describing them as an attempt to deflect blame for internal political problems.
“I watched what the Bauchi governor is saying — that all the problems he’s having are because of me. If I have such power to put fire in his state, why are you fighting?” Wike asked.
The former Rivers State governor insisted that Mohammed’s challenges were self-inflicted and unrelated to him.
“Go and face your problem. You came to my state, I warned you to leave my state alone. Today, he doesn’t even have a party to present a successor,” Wike said.
On claims that he was responsible for alleged pressure from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Mohammed’s associates, Wike distanced himself from the anti-graft agency.
“If EFCC is chasing them and he says it’s me, what’s my business? If your state is clean, go there and enjoy yourself,” he added.
Wike maintained that his disagreements with Mohammed were strictly about party leadership issues and not personal finances or governance, urging the Bauchi governor to “face his problems” and leave him out of the matter.