The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has replied Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State over his comment, where he accused the former of witch-hunting his administration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Governor Mohammed had also accused Wike of being behind the EFCC’s terrorism financing charge against his Commissioner of Finance, Yakubu Adamu.

Reacting on Thursday, Wike’s live retort at a rally in Rivers State saw the minister mock the Bauchi State Governor.

“I watched what Governor Bala said. That all the problems he is having, that I am the one behind it, because I said I will put fire in his state. So, if you know I have such power, why are you fighting?,” Wike said.

“Bala came to my state to impose party leaders. I told him to be careful or else, he’ll see crises. Today, he doesn’t have a party to bring his successor, and this is what I warned them. If you know you don’t have the strength to fight, why not go and rest.

“Now, EFCC is chasing him, and he’s saying it’s me. What’s my business? If your state is clean, go there and clear yourself.

“Anybody that has stroke, it’s Wike. The ones with headache, it’s Wike. The ones in Sokoto, Wike. You’re in Taraba, Wike. You’re in Lagos, Wike, you’re in Bauchi, Wike. Leave this Wike. He’s too strong.”

The Bauchi State Governor had also declared that he would not allow anyone to criminalise him because he refused to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, said that the APC-led Federal Government has been using the institutions of state and the courts to persecute and prosecute Nigerians because they are not in the APC.

The governor made this statement on Wednesday shortly after assenting to the 2026 budget at the Executive Council Chamber. He also received an award of excellence as a Safety Ambassador by the Safety Institute of Nigeria.

Responding to the award, Mohammed dedicated it to Bauchi State “because it is where we worked, and we collectively earned that recognition.”

Speaking further, he said, “I was just waking up to an occasion where I was told that I was being accused of terrorism as a governor. Someone who is the head of the opposition. My Commissioner (of Finance) has been kept and would 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, who is being recognised without my inclination for this kind of recognition. God is wonderful. I don’t have to say anything; I don’t have to go to the public court.”

The governor said that politics has become something else in Nigeria, but with this kind of people around, like the award organisers, there is still hope in the country.

“Whatever anybody does to prosecute you, somehow God will do something to absolve you of blame, of persecutions, because with the little resources we have to work with and do what we have done in Bauchi, somebody will accuse us of arbitrariness.” (The Guardian)

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