Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, on Tuesday said nobody can put fire in his state “because we have a volume of water to quench the fire.”
Mohammed stated this while receiving a delegation of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at Government House, Bauchi.
He said: “We are together, nobody can put fire in Bauchi. We have a volume of water that will quench the fire
“Even my friend that said that did so because he is annoyed. May be I have said something that annoyed him, but it is not personal. My friend is my friend, my job is my job and leadership is leadership,” the governor said.
This is the first time Mohammed will react to the threat of Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who accused PDP governors of interfering in the political crisis rocking Rivers State.
At their last meeting in Taraba State, governors elected on the platform of the PDP had declared Siminalayi Fubara, the estranged political godson of Wike, as the leader of the party in Rivers State.
This annoyed Wike, who lambasted the governors during the state congress of the party in Rivers State.
Speaking at the congress, Wike had said: “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 it 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.”
The minister, who singled out Mohammed, promised sleepless nights to governors who leave their states to challenge him 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,” the FCT Minister had said.
But speaking on Tuesday, Mohammed, who is the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, said: “This unsolicited visit by the National Working Committee shows that in Nigeria, we have hope,and we are connected by the value and stability of PDP for peace and stability in our party and in our country.”
He added: “Yes, none of the parties is isolated in terms of crisis here and there. Crises are there, that is why leadership is also there. That is why we have to take the bull by the horn to discuss and look at the constitution of our party, PDP.
“All the parties must do things by the rule of law. We must respect people, we must put our interest aside, we must respect our diversity, we must meet and close ranks, especially when the issue has to do with our party, the PDP.
“Our party has pedigree… most of the development in this country was done by the PDP. When PDP left, nothing was done. You can see, all the members of the National Working Committee here are square peg in square hole. Even if we are quarrelling, we are together. Nobody should misunderstand that, we are not a splinter group.”
Speaking, the PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), said whatever step the party’s governors take, the NWC is with them.
“We feel it is imperative for us to identify with you and to tell you that whatever step taken by the governors forum, we as your representatives at National Working Committee will always be glad to implement.
“Secondly, Your Excellency, we are here to also identify with you and to salute your courage as the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum. We cannot pretend, a lot of things have been going on in our party, we cannot pretend and say that all is very well.
“We are grateful and we are glad that yourself and other colleague governors have taken the bull by the horn. So, we made it necessary for us to come and identify with you and tell you that whatever steps taken by the governors forum under your leadership, We as representatives of the National Working Committee will accept it and ready to implement,” Ajibade said.
