A SHARP political confrontation erupted on Thursday as Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, traded strong accusations, further exposing the deepening divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Mohammed, speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria, accused Wike of orchestrating a calculated plot to destroy his political career and personal integrity, alleging that the FCT minister was using political influence and federal institutions to undermine him.
According to the Bauchi governor, efforts were being made to associate him with banditry and terrorism, allegations he described as baseless, dangerous, and politically motivated.
“I am a serving governor, and my state is one of the most secure in the North-East, if not in northern Nigeria,” Mohammed said. “Nothing of this sort has ever been associated with me, but opposition leaders like me must be destroyed. That is why they are trying to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”
Mohammed alleged that Wike had once openly threatened to “put fire” in Bauchi State and was now acting on that threat by sponsoring political crises and encouraging investigations against his administration.
“A rising opposition leader being accused of terrorism is very painful,” he said, adding that even members of his family had been falsely linked to corruption cases.
The Bauchi governor further disclosed that he had written to the Attorney General of the Federation, copied relevant security agencies, and intended to escalate the matter to the international community, seeking protection against what he termed political victimisation and violations of his fundamental human rights.
He also dismissed claims linking him to banditry, insisting that Bauchi’s relative stability was achieved through strategy, intelligence, and inclusive governance.
In a broader attack, Mohammed alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was being surrounded by “hooligans and charlatans” who were intent on silencing opposition voices, describing Wike as a liability to the current administration.
“Some want me to join the APC, others don’t—like Wike,” he said. “Wike is a big drag on the administration, and the President should know.”
Mohammed went further to describe Wike as an “undertaker” within the PDP, accusing him of working against the party’s interests while pretending to remain a member.
“He cannot be in two places at the same time. It is against the rule of nature,” Mohammed said, referring to Wike’s continued influence within the PDP despite serving in an APC-led federal government.
The confrontation comes amid long-standing turmoil within the PDP, which has remained fractured since its defeat in the 2023 presidential election. The party has suffered multiple defections and expulsions, including disputes between rival National Working Committees, one led by Kabiru Turaki and another aligned with Wike.
Tensions heightened further after Mohammed alleged on Wednesday that the Federal Government was using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to harass him and officials of his administration following his refusal to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The EFCC had recently filed fresh criminal charges against the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and others over alleged terrorism financing involving $9.7 million.
However, Wike swiftly dismissed Mohammed’s claims, describing them as an attempt to deflect attention from personal and political failures.
Speaking during a “thank you” visit to Abua-Odual Local Government Area in Rivers State, the FCT minister said he had no role in Mohammed’s challenges.
“I watched what the governor of Bauchi is saying that all the problems he is having are because of me,” Wike said. “If you know I have such power, why are you fighting? Go and face your problems.”
Wike insisted that his disagreement with Mohammed was limited to party leadership issues, accusing the Bauchi governor of attempting to interfere in PDP affairs in Rivers State.
“He came to my state and wanted to impose party leaders. I warned him to leave my state alone,” Wike said. “Today, he does not even have a party structure to produce a successor.”
Responding to allegations that he influenced EFCC actions, Wike categorically denied any involvement with the anti-graft agency.
“What is my business with EFCC?” he asked. “I am not interested in what you spend. I am only fighting you on party leadership.”
The FCT minister also challenged Mohammed to account for his own tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2010 and 2015, accusing him of hypocrisy over claims of questionable land allocations and project execution in Abuja.
“You were FCT minister before me,” Wike said. “Why not tell Nigerians what you did, the lands you sold, the contracts you awarded, and the upfront payments you collected? Today, I am completing those projects.”