Wike wants to destroy me, he’s using EFCC to target my cabinet —Bala Mohammed

Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, has accused Nyesom Wike,minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), of plotting to destroy him. Mohammed, the chair of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)Governors’ Forum, made the allegation on Thursday during an appearance onSunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television. Mohammed had claimed that the federal government is usingthe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to “persecute” him andmembers of his cabinet over their refusal to join the All Progressives Congress(APC). On Tuesday, the EFCC arraigned Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi statecommissioner for finance, over alleged N5.79 billion money laundering andterror funding. Adamu allegedly conspired with Ishaku Mohammed Aliyu,managing director of I.S. Makayye Investment Resources Limited, and MuntakaDuguri — both of whom are said to be at large — to launder N4.65 billionbetween June and December 2023. The Bauchi governor said, despite his constitutionalimmunity, his name has been included in an EFCC motion targeting members of hiscabinet. ‘WIKE WANTS TO DESTROY ME’ Speaking during the programme, Mohammed alleged that Wikewas behind the anti-graft agency’s prosecution of his cabinet members. “The president is surrounded by hooligans and charlatans whowant to destroy me. Some want me to join [the APC], some don’t want — likeWike,” Mohammed said. “Wike is a big drag on the administration, and the presidentshould know. I have nothing against him [Wike]. He wants to destroy me.” Mohammed said Wike cannot be associated with the APC andstill claims to be a PDP member. A faction of the PDP, backed by Mohammed, had expelled Wike inNovember of alleged anti-party activities. “He [Wike] is an undertaker in our party [PDP]. He is notthere as a genuine member of the PDP, and I fought him. I was even at thesecretariat when he went there to take over,” the governor said. “You cannot be in two places at the same time. It is againstthe rule of nature. He [Wike] is with them [APC].” ‘TERRORISM ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ME ARE PAINFUL’ Mohammed described the terrorism allegation against him asbaseless, noting that he is the governor of one of the most peaceful states inthe north. “I am a serving governor, and my state is the most securestate in the north-east, if not in northern Nigeria. And we did this throughknowledge, wisdom, and nothing of that sort [terrorian] had been associatedwith me,” he said. “But I know the shenanigans. I see the mud-slinging, peoplegiving a dog a name to hang it. Opposition leaders like me must be destroyed;otherwise, there is no reason somebody can associate me with banditry. “And I think I need to clear myself at every level. I’mbothered because my name and integrity will be destroyed. ”I’m a politician; a rising politician, a leader of theopposition. To be accused of terrorism, is very painful. One of my nephews wasmentioned in the corruption charge, and there was nothing like that — nothing.” Mohammed said he has petitioned Lateef Fagbemi,attorney-general of the federation, heads of security agencies, and theinternational community over the terrorism allegation against him.

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