Nobody can put fire in my state, Bauchi Gov replies Wike

From Ahmed Mohammed, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said nobody can put fire in Bauchi “because we have a volume of water to quench the fire”.

He said this when he received a delegation from the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday.

He said, “We are together; nobody can put fire in Bauchi. We have a volume of water that will quench the fire, even my friend that said that did so because of he is annoyed. But it’s not personal. My friend is my friend, and my job is my job, leadership is leadership.”

This is the first time that the governor would react to the threat of Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who accused PDP governors of interfering with issues concerning control of the party in Rivers.

At a meeting around mid-August, governors elected on the platform of the PDP had declared Siminalayi Fubara, estranged godson of Wike, as the leader of the party in Rivers.

This had annoyed Wike who alongside his supporters organised a congress in the state to further strengthen their grip of Rivers PDP.

Speaking at the congress, Wike had said, “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody, I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states.

“When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take,” Wike said.

The minister, who singled out Bauchi governor, promised sleepless nights to governors who leave their states to challenge him in Rivers.

“Because I heard they got some money from signature bonus and so their heads are getting big that you will put hand in my own state. Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state.

“Whether you are from Bauchi I don’t give a damn, whichever state you are from, as far as I know that you are trying to put yourself in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt and you will never sleep in your state,” he had said.

But speaking on Tuesday, Mohammed, who is the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, said, “This unsolicited visit by the National Working Committee shows that in Nigeria, we have hope,and we are connected by the value and the stability of PDP for peace and stability in our party and in our country.

“Yes none of the parties is isolated in terms of crisis here and there. Crises are there; that is why leadership is also there. That is why we have to take the bull by the horn to discuss and look at the constitution of our party PDP. All the parties must do things by the rule of law. We must respect people, we must put our interest aside, we must respect our diversity, we must meet and close ranks especially when the issue has to do with our party, the PDP. Our party has pedigree… most of the development in this country was done by the PDP. When PDP left, nothing was done. If you can see all the members of the national working committee here are square peg in square hole. Even if we are quarrelling, we are together. Nobody should misunderstand that, we are not a splinter group.”

The National Legal Adviser of PDP, Kamaldeen Ajibade Adeyemi, (SAN), said whatever step the party’s governors take, the NWC is with them.

“We feel it is imperative for us to identify with you and to tell you that whatever step taken by the governors forum, we as your representative as National Working Committee will always be glad to implement.”