A political battle broke out yesterday between Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Both men traded blistering accusations that underscore the deepening crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The confrontation was triggered by Mohammed’s claim that Wike was deliberately working to destabilise Bauchi State and destroy his political career through intimidation and smear campaigns.
Speaking on Channels Sunrise Daily, the Bauchi governor alleged that the FCT minister had “put fire” in his state by fuelling political attacks and linking him to banditry and terrorism.
“I am a sitting governor, and my state is among the most secure in the North-East, if not northern Nigeria. Yet, I am being associated with banditry for political reasons,” Mohammed said, dismissing the allegations as calculated falsehoods meant to discredit him as a rising opposition figure.
The governor insisted that Bauchi has remained relatively peaceful under his leadership and described the accusations as part of a broader plot to silence dissenting voices within the opposition.
He said: “Somebody said he is going to put fire in my state. That person is the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. A rising opposition leader being accused of terrorism is very painful.
“When you want to destroy a dog, you give it a bad name.”
The governor claimed that unnamed “powerful forces” were behind the campaign against him, naming Wike as a central figure.
He further alleged that pressure was being mounted on him to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But he did not states where the pressure was coming from.
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Mohammed said he had written to the Attorney General of the Federation and copied security agencies, seeking protection and redress.
He also threatened to escalate the matter to the international community, describing the situation as victimisation and a violation of his fundamental human rights.
He accused Wike of acting as a destabilising force within the PDP, saying the FCT minister could not genuinely claim opposition credentials while openly aligning with the APC-led Federal Government.
“He is an undertaker in our party. You cannot be in two places at the same time. It is against the rule of nature,” Mohammed said.
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be wary of individuals he claimed were undermining democracy by misusing state institutions.
The allegations come against the backdrop of renewed tension between the Bauchi State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mohammed accused the Federal Government of using the anti-graft agency to harass his administration following charges filed against the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and others over alleged terrorism financing involving $9.7 million.
He insisted that the allegations were politically motivated.
Wike swiftly dismissed Mohammed’s accusations, describing them as baseless and symptomatic of internal failures within Bauchi and the PDP.
Speaking during a visit to Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, Wike chided the Bauchi governor, saying he lacked the political structure and party cohesion to manage his affairs or produce a successor.
“Bala Mohammed came to my state and wanted to impose party leadership. I warned him to be careful and to leave my state alone. I told him there would be consequences, and today, he does not even have a party to produce his successor,” Wike said.
Reacting directly to the allegation that he threatened to “put fire” in Bauchi, Wike denied any such role and dared Mohammed to confront his challenges head-on.
“He said all the problems he is facing are because of me, that I claimed I would put fire there. If you have such power, go ahead and use it. Face your problems,” he said.
Wike also brushed aside claims that the EFCC was acting on his behalf, insisting he had no interest in Bauchi’s finances.
He said: “Now EFCC is chasing them, he said it’s me. What’s my business? If your state is clean, go there and enjoy yourself.”
The FCT minister accused Mohammed of weak leadership and internal contradictions, arguing that political leaders must recognise their limits.
“If you know you do not have the strength to fight, why don’t you retreat? Why create problems you cannot manage?” he asked.
Wike further launched a personal counteroffensive, questioning Mohammed’s own record as a FCT minister between 2010 and 2015.
“You were the minister of FCT. Why not tell the people what you did there? The whole land, you sold it. You did not do the roads. Contracts were awarded, money collected upfront, and now I am the one completing the projects,” he said.
Responding to personal insults labelling him “semi-illiterate” and a former motor washer, Wike said his rise through the ranks of public office spoke louder than name-calling.
“I have no problem with that. Someone who washed cars became local government chairman, governor of one of the most important states, and a two-time minister,” he said.
He reaffirmed his support for President Tinubu, citing what he described as unprecedented federal appointments and benefits for Rivers State, and insisted that his political choices were guided by conscience and performance.
Wike declared: “When you tell people the truth, people get angry. But the truth remains the truth.”