- The Bauchi governor had alleged that Wike was behind the lingering political tensions in his state
- Recalling past political disagreements, the minister accused Mohammed of attempting to impose party leadership on Rivers State
- Wike reminded Mohammed that he once served as FCT minister, challenging him to publicly account for his own tenure
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, urging him to confront his own political and governance challenges instead of dragging him into controversies.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Wike made the remark on Thursday during his appreciation visit to Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he addressed party faithful and community leaders.
The FCT minister’s comments came hours after Governor Mohammed accused him of masterminding unrest in Bauchi State.
The Bauchi governor had alleged that Wike was behind the lingering political tensions in his state, recalling past statements in which the former Rivers governor allegedly vowed to “set his state on fire.” Mohammed further claimed that Wike was deploying federal institutions and political influence to undermine his administration.
He also criticised Wike’s stewardship of the Federal Capital Territory, questioning his expenditure patterns and describing the FCT minister as a central figure in the internal crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Responding sharply, Wike dismissed the accusations and advised Mohammed to stop shifting blame. According to him, leadership requires courage and capacity, not excuses.
“If you don’t have the strength to handle issues, why pick fights? And if you truly have the power to quench fire, then go ahead and do so,” Wike said.
Recalling past political disagreements, the minister accused Mohammed of attempting to impose party leadership on Rivers State. He said he warned the Bauchi governor at the time to desist, stressing that the consequences of such actions were inevitable.
“You came into my political space and tried to dictate leadership. I cautioned you to be careful. Today, he cannot even boast of a stable party structure to produce a successor. That was exactly what I warned him about,” Wike stated.
He maintained that his engagement with Mohammed was strictly within party affairs and insisted he had no interest in the internal issues of Bauchi State.
Wike also urged the Bauchi governor to address allegations involving some of his associates and ongoing investigations, instead of deflecting attention.
“If your house is clean, go and clear your name. Don’t come before Nigerians telling stories. Face your challenges and leave me alone,” he added.
Addressing criticism over land administration in Abuja, Wike reminded Mohammed that he once served as FCT minister, challenging him to publicly account for his own tenure.
“You were in charge before. Tell Nigerians what you did with land allocations and abandoned projects. Today, we are completing projects, and Nigerians can see the difference,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of Abua-Odual Local Government Council, Mr. Owolobi Ofori, alongside other stakeholders, reaffirmed their total support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and pledged continued loyalty to Wike, praising his leadership style and developmental drive.
