From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir has denied the allegation that he is among some northern governors who are trying to cause trouble in the country.
Security agencies has recently raised alarm that they uncovered plans by two serving governors from the North-East and North-West to unsettle the North ahead of the 2023 general elections.
They alleged in their report that the prominent governors have started recruiting different organisations, religious bodies and youths from the northern and southern parts of the country in order to achieve their aims.
But Mohammed, on Thursday, at Government House Bauchi, while receiving the report of a panel of inquiry on land use and illegal land allocation.
He said he was troubled to read stories that some governors in the North were trying to cause trouble in the country.
“Let me use this medium to clear the issue of some governors and, of course, I have seen some insinuations that a North East governor, may be referring to me or some kind of insinuation that I’m trying to foment trouble or cause riots in Northern Nigeria in conjunction with a former governor and a serving governor,”
“I want to categorically dissociate myself from this kind of action. My antecedent as a civil servant, a senator, and a minister does not show this kind of action. We are working very hard to make sure that Nigeria and Northern Nigeria are safe.
“Some people are threatened, may be because of the rising profile of some of us, and they are using this to cause disaffection between some of us and security agencies.”
He urged security agencies to swing into action to investigate the matter.
“Please, come and prosecute me, irrespective of our constitutional protection, because to me, this is the last thing I can do.
“I believe in the Nigerian project. I believe in the unity of Nigeria. Bauchi State has benefited so much from the Federal Government since I became the governor. We got over N12 billion from Buhari’s administration to build houses. We got a refund of over N12 billion, which we have used to set Bauchi on a path of prosperity.
“We have benefited so much from the Federal Ministry of Finance. We will be the last to cause disaffection between the state and the Federal Government. Those who are looking for reasons to raise their profiles should look for other means. They should not use Bala Mohammed,” the governor said.
