The Bauchi State Government has condemned the recent outburst by the minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, against Governor Bala Mohammed, calling it an ill-informed and politically motivated attack.
The chief of staff to the Bauchi Government House, Dr. Aminu Hassan Gamawa, described Tuggar’s criticism as a desperate attempt to remain politically relevant.
Tuggar, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, accused Governor Mohammed of attacking President Bola Tinubu because of the latter’s presidential ambitions.
In recent times, the Bauchi governor, who is also the chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ forum, has been a staunch critic of the president’s policies, especially the tax reform bills.
Gamawa emphasised that rather than addressing the numerous failures of his ministry, Tuggar has chosen to attack a governor whose policies have transformed Bauchi’s economy, particularly in agriculture and youth empowerment.
In a statement, he said “Governor Bala Mohammed’s agricultural initiatives, such as the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP) and the Tiamin Rice Project, have created thousands of jobs across the state, benefiting farmers and youths. However, the Bauchi-born Foreign Minister appears oblivious to these successes.
“If Tuggar spent more time in his home state instead of traveling aimlessly across foreign capitals, he would see the remarkable progress under Governor Bala Mohammed,” the statement said.
It also pointed out that Tuggar’s own local government failed to deliver votes for President Bola Tinubu in the last election, further exposing his irrelevance at the grassroots level.
The Bauchi government accused Tuggar of presiding over one of the worst diplomatic periods in Nigeria’s history, listing several failures, include Collapse of ECOWAS Leadershi, poor diplomatic strategy led to the withdrawal of key member states like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
He added that Tuggar has failed to maintain Nigeria’s strong ties with its Sahelian neighbors, worsening security challenges along the borders and his failure to resolve issues like the UAE visa ban has diminished Nigeria’s standing on the global stage.
Gamawa further said Tuggar’s shift towards French influence has alienated African allies and weakened Nigeria’s independent foreign policy.
The statement suggested that Tuggar’s attacks on Bala Mohammed were fueled by his ambition to contest for the Bauchi governorship in 2027.
However, it warned that his approach would backfire, as the people of Bauchi have witnessed Governor Bala Mohammed’s transformative leadership and would not be swayed by baseless accusations.
The Bauchi government advised Tuggar to focus on addressing the glaring failures in his ministry rather than fixating on a governor who continues to receive national recognition for his achievements.
It emphasized that Governor Bala Mohammed’s principled stance on national issues, including tax reforms, is a reflection of his commitment to the people, unlike Tuggar’s opportunistic and politically driven outbursts.
“It is high time Tuggar removed the log from his own eye before attempting to point out the speck in Bala Mohammed’s,” the statement concluded.
