A political feud intensified yesterday between Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, highlighting divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The clash arose after Mohammed accused Wike of attempting to destabilize Bauchi State and undermine his political career through intimidation and negative campaigns.
On Channels Sunrise Daily, the Bauchi governor claimed the FCT minister had “set fire” in his state by stoking political attacks and linking him to banditry and terrorism.
“I am a sitting governor, and Bauchi is among the most secure states in the North-East, yet I am being falsely associated with banditry for political purposes,” Mohammed said, describing the allegations as deliberate attempts to discredit him as an emerging opposition figure.
He insisted that Bauchi has remained largely peaceful under his leadership and characterized the accusations as part of a broader strategy to silence dissenting voices within the opposition.
Mohammed said, “Somebody threatened to put fire in my state. That person is the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. Being accused of terrorism as a rising opposition leader is extremely painful. When you want to destroy a dog, you give it a bad name.”
He alleged that unidentified “powerful forces,” with Wike as a key player, were behind the campaign to pressure him into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), though he did not specify the sources of this pressure.
The governor revealed that he had written to the Attorney General of the Federation and copied security agencies, seeking protection and redress. He also warned of taking the matter to international platforms, describing the situation as victimization and a violation of his fundamental rights.
Mohammed accused Wike of undermining the PDP from within, arguing that the FCT minister could not genuinely claim to be in opposition while openly collaborating with the APC-led federal government.
“He is an undertaker in our party. You cannot serve two masters at once. It is against nature,” Mohammed said, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be cautious of those misusing state institutions to weaken democracy.
The accusations surfaced amid renewed friction between the Bauchi State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following charges against the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and others over alleged $9.7 million terrorism financing. Mohammed insisted these allegations were politically motivated.
Wike quickly dismissed the governor’s claims as baseless, attributing them to internal PDP issues and Bauchi’s leadership challenges. Speaking in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, he criticized Mohammed for lacking party cohesion and political infrastructure to manage the state or produce a successor.
“Bala Mohammed came to my state trying to impose party leadership. I warned him to leave my state alone. Today, he cannot even produce a successor for his own party,” Wike said.
Responding to claims he threatened to “put fire” in Bauchi, Wike denied any involvement and challenged Mohammed to confront his problems directly.
“The governor says all his issues are because of me. If I had such power, he should face his challenges himself,” he stated, also refuting suggestions that the EFCC was acting on his behalf.
Wike described Mohammed as a weak leader prone to contradictions, questioning why he would create problems he could not handle. He further criticized Mohammed’s record as FCT minister between 2010 and 2015, accusing him of failing to deliver projects and mismanaging funds.
Reacting to personal insults calling him “semi-illiterate” and a former car washer, Wike highlighted his rise through public office as proof of his capability.
“I have no problem with that. A person who washed cars became a local government chairman, governor, and two-time minister,” he said, reaffirming his support for President Tinubu and citing federal appointments and development benefits for Rivers State.
He concluded, “When you speak the truth, some people get angry. But the truth remains the truth.”
