The governor of Bauchi State, Mr Bala Mohammed, has dared the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and estranged member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Nyesom Wike to “put fire” in the state saying he (Mohammed) has gathered enough treated water to quench any form of fire.
He was responding to the minister’s threat to put fire in the states of the PDP governors supporting the governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara who has been at loggerheads with Wike.
Recall that Wike recently accused the PDP governors of interfering in the affairs of the party in Rivers State.
The rift began when the PDP governors’ forum, led by Mohammed, declared Fubara, Wike’s estranged godson, the party leader in Rivers.
Wike retaliated and warned the governors to stay out of the state’s affairs.
“Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody; I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states.
“When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take,” Wike said.
He singled out Mohammed, who is the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, and promised sleepless nights to those who meddled in the affairs of the party in Rivers.
“Because I heard they got some money from signature bonus and so their heads are getting big that you will put hand in my own state. Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state.
“Whether you are from Bauchi I don’t give a damn, whichever state you are from, as far as I know that you are trying to put yourself in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt and you will never sleep in your state,” he added.
Addressing some members of PDP’s national working committee (NWC) in Bauchi yesterday, the governor said: “Nobody can put fire in Bauchi State. Bauchi has volumes of water. Even my friend that is saying that is saying that because he is annoyed.
“Maybe I had said something that annoyed him (Wike). But it is not personal. My friend is my friend, my job is my job and leadership is leadership,” he added.
Continuing, Mohammed said: “We are together; nobody can put fire in Bauchi,” Mohammed said.
“If we have quarrel, it is not personal, nobody should misunderstand us, we are together. This is not a splinter group; this is just a delegation from the national working committee of the PDP. We are going to discuss some of the issues in the party”
Commenting on the visit by the NWC, the governor said: “This unsolicited visit by the national working committee shows that in Nigeria we have people of conscience and we are connected by the values that established the PDP by our founding fathers.”
He also said no political party was insulated from internal strife.
“Yes, none of the political parties are insulated from crisis here and there, but crisis is there and that why leadership is there. We have to take the bull by the horns to discuss and look at the constitution of our party.”
“We must do things by the rule of law, we must respect people, we must put our interest aside, we must respect our diversities, we must bring and close rank, especially for party like the PDP that has a history,” he added.
He stated the achievement of the party when it held sway at the centre for 16 years saying: “We have a pedigree, most of the developments in the country were done by the PDP; since we left nothing has happened. As you can see all the members of the National Working Committee that are here are square heads in square holes”
Mohammed assured that as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, he will continue to give effective and efficient leadership and meaningful opposition in the country.
In his remarks, the national legal adviser of the PDP, Mr Kamaldeen Ajibade said: “On behalf of the national working committee of our great party and our colleagues present here…the purpose of our courtesy visit is not far-fetched. The purpose is to identify with you and also to take a physical look at all we have been reading in the papers about the excellent performance of our governor.
“Secondary, we are here to also identify with you and to salute your courage as the chairman of PDP Governors Forum. We cannot pretend that a lot of things have been going on in our party, and we cannot pretend to say that all is very well.
“We are grateful and we are glad that you and other colleague governors have taken the bull by the horns. So, we made it necessary for us to come and identify with you and tell you that whatever steps are taken by the Governors Forum under your leadership, we, as representatives of the national working committee, will accept them and be ready to implement.”
