The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, has denied allegations levelled against him by the Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda.
Mr. Yuguda had accused Mr. Mohammed of sponsoring the thugs that attacked President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team.
On Thursday, when the president’s campaign team stormed Bauchi State, some thugs who converged at the Ibrahim Babangida Square, venue of the campaign event, hurled shoes, plastic water bottles and other objects, at the canopy where the president and members of his campaign team were delivering their speech.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of masterminding the attack on Mr. Jonathan’s team, but on Saturday, Mr. Yuguda exonerated the APC, and accused top members of the PDP in the state, including Mr. Mohammed of mobilizing youth against the President’s campaign team.
In reaction, Mr. Mohammed, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Nosike Ogbuenyi, said it is “irrational” for Mr. Yuguda to allege that Mr. Mohammed hired thugs to stone and embarrass himself while addressing the presidential rally in his home state.
Mr. Mohammed said Mr. Yuguda has, by the claim, proven that he hobnobs with the APC at night and runs with the PDP in daytime.
He said that the governor must answer “quickly without equivocation why the thugs did not stone him whilst he was addressing the same rally, on the same podium and on the same day?”
Mr. Mohammed said Mr. Yuguda should tell the world why he has suddenly turned into an APC spokesperson, exonerating the opposition party of culpability in the attack on the PDP presidential campaign team in Bauchi.
Mr. Bala said he has no apology whatsoever for consistently supporting his principal, Goodluck Jonathan, because he believes in Nigeria’s oneness as well as the transformation agenda of his administration.
Mr. Bala said he will never be deterred by attacks on his person and/or malicious fabrications by selfish, mischievous and insincere politicians.
He said politics is not a do or die affair, adding that he sacrificed his gubernatorial bid to allow peace to reign in Bauchi State.
Mr. Bala noted that this is the time for everyone to focus on issues that would promote rancour-free campaign and elections to ensure victory for the PDP and called on Nigerians to disregard Mr. Yuguda’s allegation.
