Bala Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi State, responded on Tuesday to the warning made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to spark crises in states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party.
Mohammed, who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, stated, “Nobody can set fire to Bauchi. “We have plenty of water.”
His statement was a direct response to Wike, who had cautioned PDP governors to avoid the controversy involving him and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Earlier, the PDP Governors’ Forum asked for the revocation of Rivers State’s ward and local government congresses, which handed over the party’s structure to Wike rather than Fubara, the existing governor.
Speaking in Port Harcourt during the state congress, Wike cautioned the PDP governors not to engage in Rivers PDP issues or he will “put fire in their states.”
He stated, “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give it back to somebody.”
Speaking to members of the PDP National Working Committee on a visit to Bauchi on Tuesday, Mohammed downplayed Wike’s warning to cause crises in the state.
Mohammed said, “Nobody can put fire in Bauchi. We have volumes of water. Even my friend who said that is only saying it because he’s annoyed. We may have said something that irritated him, but it’s not personal. My friend is my friend, and leadership is leadership.”
Mohammed expressed enthusiasm at the NWC members’ visit, which he described as unexpected, adding it proved the PDP’s unity and leadership values.
“We must put our interests aside and respect our diversity, especially for a party like the PDP that has a history and a pedigree. Most of the developments in this country were done by the PDP,” he added.
Mohammed applauded the NWC members for their roles in ensuring stability in the party despite the challenges it faces. He expressed his belief that the PDP remained strong and capable of overcoming internal crises through effective leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the NWC, the party’s national legal adviser, Kamaludeen Adeyemi, expressed the party’s well wishes and congratulated Mohammed on his successes in Bauchi.
“We are here to identify with you and to salute your courage as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. Whatever steps are taken by the governors’ forum, we, as your representatives in the NWC, will always be glad to implement,” Adeyemi said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a pressure group within the PDP’s Osun State branch urged PDP governors to take action against Wike over his remarks. The group, known as Professionals in PDP, issued the challenge in a statement signed by its president, Sam Segun-Progress.
“The recent display of arrogance and uninformed outburst of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesome Wike, is not only shameless but demeaning and unbecoming of a supposed leader.
“Is Wike above the law or above the party? What makes him special is that he will be challenging the party leadership with no responses and daring us to act.
“We must ask the national executives what makes Wike special. Why can’t they caution him if he is too big to be disciplined? We ask our governors, Why are they afraid of Wike? Why are they quiet over his affronts?”
The group asked the National Working Committee and governors elected on the party’s platform to muster the fortitude to act before the table turned against them.
It stated: “If the National Working Committee and governors are incompetent and afraid of Wike, some of us don’t see him as special than other party members, and we will not hesitate to mobilise to the national secretary to reset the NWC.
“It is time to stop elements who will not allow us to perform our role as credible opposition to make the current lacklustre administration wake up to its responsibilities.”
