Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State responded on Tuesday to remarks by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who had threatened to stir trouble in states led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a clear rebuttal, Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, stated, “Nobody can set Bauchi on fire. We have volumes of water,” directly addressing Wike’s warning to fellow PDP governors.
The clash began after the PDP Governors’ Forum called for the reversal of recent ward and local government congresses in Rivers State, which shifted party control from Governor Siminalayi Fubara to Wike. Wike had retaliated with a fiery warning to those challenging his influence, threatening to “put fire in their states.”
During a meeting with the PDP National Working Committee in Bauchi, Governor Mohammed dismissed Wike’s remarks as a reaction born out of annoyance. “My friend is my friend, and leadership is leadership. Whatever was said, it’s not personal,” Mohammed explained, emphasizing unity within the party.
He also praised the visit by the PDP National Working Committee, seeing it as a symbol of the party’s strong leadership and commitment to unity.
Meanwhile, a pressure group within the Osun State chapter of the PDP, Professionals in PDP, issued a statement urging the party to take action against Wike’s behavior, accusing him of arrogance and calling on the National Working Committee to discipline him.
The group’s President, Sam Segun-Progress, said, “Wike is not above the law or the party. We challenge our governors to address his outbursts before the situation escalates further.”
