"I Won’t Join APC": Bauchi Governor Declares Ahead of 2027, Gives Reasons
- Bauchi state governor Bala Mohammed rejects defection to APC, citing political intimidation by federal institutions
- The governor claimed the EFCC has been used to target opposition, vowing not to be coerced into joining ruling party
- He criticised Bauchi state neglect, calling for urgent review of tax policies to prevent worsening poverty
Bauchi state — Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, has declared that he will not defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor alleged that the federal government has been using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate him and officials in his administration.
Source: Twitter
Speaking on Wednesday, December 31, at the Government House in Bauchi while receiving an ambassadorial award for safety from the Institute of Safety Professionals in Nigeria, Mohammed said the alleged harassment was politically motivated.
“As a governor, someone who is the head of the opposition, my commissioner has been kept and will not be released by the EFCC.
“Even when I have immunity as a governor, my name was stupendously mentioned in a motion in a court of law in Nigeria. Me, Bala Mohammed," he said.
Mohammed, who chairs the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, said the actions of anti-graft agencies reflect the extent to which politics has influenced governance and state institutions.
“I don’t have to say anything. I don’t even have to go to the public court. But certainly, politics has become something in Nigeria,” he added.
Federal institutions used to persecute political opponents, governor alleges
The governor accused the APC-led Federal Government of deploying state institutions to intimidate political opponents, insisting he would not be coerced into joining the ruling party, Vanguard reported.
“The APC-led federal government thinks they can use the courts and institutions of government, like the EFCC, to persecute and prosecute Nigerians who are not within their own party,” he alleged.
He added:
“I won’t allow anybody to criminalise me because I’m not in their party, and I refuse to join their party, and I will not join their party.”
He also warned that his silence so far had been in the interest of peace, but he would respond firmly if the alleged harassment continued.
Source: Facebook
“If they don’t stop, we are going to declare war. I assure you we are not going to keep quiet any longer,” he said.
Bauchi state neglected, governor claims
Mohammed criticised the federal government for neglecting Bauchi despite controlling a significant share of national resources, The Cable reported.
“In my state, they have not provided one kilometre of road. You have not provided water. Even the security agencies, I’m the one paying them to work for us, and they have the guts to talk,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the country’s tax policies, warning that the current system could exacerbate poverty if not reviewed.
The governor’s comments follow reports that the EFCC has filed fresh criminal charges against Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and others over alleged terrorism financing involving about $9.7 million.
Bala Mohammed sacks teacher
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previosuly reported that governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has sacked a teacher identified as Emos Joshua over the allegation of sexual harassment. The teacher is a Principal Assistant Education Officer at Government College, Azare.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Information and Public Relations Officer (IPRO) of the Bauchi State Civil Service Commission (CSC), Saleh Umar, made available to journalists in Bauchi on Thursday, September 11.
Source: Legit.ng
