The senior special assistant to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, has criticised Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, for his ongoing commentary regarding the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike serving under President Bola Tinubu.
Olayinka contended that Wike’s appointment has become a convenient excuse for Mohammed to deflect attention from his perceived inadequacies as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.
He emphasised that Wike is not the first member of an opposing party to hold a ministerial position in Nigeria, nor will he be the last.
Wike’s aide provided a list of historical examples of political leaders who have served in ministerial roles across party lines, “the late Chief Bola Ige, an Alliance for Democracy (AD) member who served as a Minister under the PDP government of Obasanjo.
“Dr Olu Agunloye, another AD member, held a ministerial role under Obasanjo. Mrs Modupe Adesanya, the daughter of a late Afenifere leader and an AD member, was a special adviser under the PDP government.
“Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, a minister during the late Umar Yar’Adua’s presidency while representing the ANPP. Bala Mohammed himself resigned from the Senate as an ANPP member to accept a ministerial appointment under the PDP government of Goodluck Jonathan.
“Wike, a member of the PDP, currently serving under the APC government of Tinubu. Bianca Ojukwu, an APGA member, is also a minister under the APC government.
“Bala Mohammed is just running his mouth like a faulty tap. The real question is, how could he have accepted a ministerial appointment under a PDP government while elected on an ANPP platform?” Olayinka said.
He further challenged Mohammed’s credibility by stating that his defection to the PDP after accepting the ministerial post exemplifies a lack of political integrity.
“If Bala Mohammed had been offered a mere Special Assistant position by the APC in 2015, he would have eagerly accepted it,” he said.
While expressing disappointment at the Bauchi state governor’s continued criticisms, Olayinka said, “We are done with any engagement involving Bala Mohammed. We have more pressing matters to attend to and will not allow ourselves to be drawn into his futile 2027 presidential ambitions.”
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