Nigeria: Face your problems, leave me alone - Wike slams Bauchi government

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, over comments where the governor blamed the minister for the political troubles in his state.

PUNCH Online reports that while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Bala accused Wike of orchestrating crises against him, stating that the FCT minister once vowed to “put fire” in Bauchi and was now using federal agencies and political machinery to destabilise his administration.

The Bauchi governor also faulted Wike’s style of governance in Abuja, describing his spending pattern as questionable and suggesting that the minister had become the rallying point for conflicts within the Peoples Democratic Party.

But Wike, addressing supporters during a “thank you” visit to Abua-Odual Local Government in Rivers state, dismissed the allegations as an attempt by Bala to shift blame for his own political failures.

“I watched what the Bauchi governor is saying, that all the problems he’s having, that I’m the one because I said I would put fire in his state. So if I have such power, why are you fighting? If I have such power to put fire, why are you fighting?” Wike said.

The former Rivers State governor insisted that the Bauchi governor’s travails had nothing to do with him, arguing that Bala was battling the consequences of his own actions within the PDP in Bauchi.

“Go and face your problem. You came to my state, I said, ‘Be careful, leave my state alone.’ You want to impose a party leader in my state. Today, he doesn’t have a party to bring his successor,” he stated.

Wike further recalled how he had warned some PDP leaders against overreaching in states they could not control, stressing that the present disarray in Bauchi was a fallout of that failure to heed advice.

Reacting to Bala’s claim that he was responsible for the alleged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission pressure on some of his associates, Wike distanced himself from the anti-graft agency, insisting that law enforcement actions should not be politicised.

“Now EFCC is chasing them, he said it’s me. What’s my business? If your state is clean, go there and enjoy yourself,” the minister added.

Wike maintained that his disagreements with Bala were strictly within the confines of party leadership and not about personal finances or governance choices.

“So this is just to tell Nigerians, tell them to leave me alone; go and face your problems. I’m only fighting with you as party leadership. I’m not interested in what you spend,” he said.

He also addressed Bala’s tenure as FCT minister between 2010 and 2015, challenging the Bauchi governor to account for his own record in Abuja before criticising the current administration.

“You said I’m spending badly. You were Minister of FCT from 2010 to 2015. Why not tell the people what you did in the FCT? The whole land, you sold it. Do the roads, you awarded contracts, they collected upfront, and now I’m the one completing the projects,” Wike said.

The minister argued that rather than being distracted by accusations, Nigerians were daily appraising his performance in office.

“Nigerians are singing our names every day that we have done well. And we will continue to do well,” he declared.

Wike concluded his remarks with a sarcastic jab at those whom he said blamed him for every political crisis across the country, saying, “Anybody who has a stroke, it’s Wike. Anybody who has a headache, Wike. Those who are in Sokoto, Wike, are in Taraba, Wike. They are in Lagos, Wike; they are in Bauchi, Wike. So it means this Wike is too strong.”