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  • PDP crisis: Wike’s group woos Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed

    PDP crisis: Wike’s group woos Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue alongside three other People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors on Wednesday paid a solidarity visit to their counterpart of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.

    Ortom was accompanied in the visit by Nyesome Wike of Rivers, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

    Ortom, who is also the leader of the PDP Governors’ Integrity Group, otherwise called PDP – G5, met Mohammed behind closed doors at the Government House, Bauchi.

    Wike, who spoke on behalf of the leader of the team, apologised on behalf of Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde, who could not make the trip due to other engagements outside the country.

    He said the visit was in solidarity to fraternise with Mohammed over the recent happenings between him and the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    “We are here to find out how things are with him, and if there are areas we could offer useful advice to him. Whatever affects him, affects us generally and that is why we came and nothing more than that,” he said.

    Responding, Mohammed said he was highly impressed and happy to receive his counterparts on a solidarity visit, stressing that “it is a  home coming.

    “They call themselves the integrity group and I’m supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for some reasons best known to them.

    “I’m highly connected with each and every one of them. There is hardly a day that I don’t call or speak to one of them because, in politics, you go with the people you share things in common.

    “One thing, I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges. Their own particular ideas, and principles may be slightly different from mine but certainly, I bear and feel their pains as much as they do feel my own pains.

    “We share so much in common with you and you know I have challenges in Bauchi State. The challenges of anti-party, challenges of undercutting some of the treachery and mischief,” he said.

    Mohammed said the visit availed him the opportunity to confide some of his worries, fears and apprehensions.

  • 2023: Bala warns PDP members against anti-party activities

    2023: Bala warns PDP members against anti-party activities

    Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, on Wednesday, warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state against anti-party activities.

    Mohammed gave the warning during the inauguration ceremony of the PDP Presidential and Governorship joint campaign council in the state.

    The governor assured the people of Bauchi of a level playing ground for the peaceful conduct of forthcoming general elections in the state.

    Newsmen reports that the 600 member-council, which has 31sub committees is to be chaired by Mohammed himself, the PDP Chairman Hamza Akuya. serves as Deputy Chairman while Alhaji Faruq Ahmed is the Director-General.

    Others are the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Nuhu Zaki, who will serve as the Deputy Director General (Operations), Pharmacist Samila Brugga (Deputy D-G (Administration) and Hassan Gamawa (Deputy D-G (Technical)

    Mohammed urged members to close ranks and ensure that the PDP wins massively from ‘bottom to top.

    “Our party remains the strongest and most popular political party which has the capacity of winning elective positions.

    ”The supporters that thronged the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium when our Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar visited the state is a clear indication that the PDP remains strong in the state.
    ”I pledge to mobolise 100 per cent votes from Bauchi and mobilise the entire north for Atiku in 2023,” he said.
    While assuring commitment to consolidate on the achievements recorded by his administration, Mohammed also solicited the support of all the electorate for his reelection and all the candidates of the party in the state for the next election.
    In his remark earlier, Akuyam, asked for forgiveness of any member who felt aggrieved in the last primary election of the party in the state.
    Akuyam assured that with the excellent performance of the PDP administration in the state, the party will secure victory at the polls and urged faithful to work hard to ensure victory for PDP at the polls.
    Also speaking on behalf of the Campaign Council, Ahmed, who is the former APC Gubernatorial Aspirant, assured to mobilise the required voters towards the success of all PDP candidates.

    “I want to reiterate our commitment to consolidate on the achievements recorded by our administration and I hereby, solicit the support of all the electorates across the state for the reelection of our administration,” he said

  • Gov. Mohammed says his battle ready for criminals

    Gov. Mohammed says his battle ready for criminals

    Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed has disclosed that his government is battle ready to confront bandits, kidnappers and all other forms of criminality in the state.

    Mohammed stated this on Monday when he paid a sympathy visit to the family of ex-Governor Ahmed Muazu In Boto village, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state.

    Newsmen reports that some family members of the former governor were recently kidnapped while a 25-year-old man was killed in the process.

    “We are going to take stringent measures, some of those measures that are outside the security rules engagement, we are going to use vigilante and community relations.

    “Because this is the house of a former governor and those people who came, the hooligans and the charlatans, they came to insult us.

    “It  is a big affront and we want to take it as such, we  will not sleep until we get them, we  will not sleep until we protect our leaders because we have been exposed to the vagaries of expectations,” he said

    According to him, “this is a  pure village settlement, it is not his fault that his relations are here and certainly we have to protect everyone and we know that they have informants.

    “But our security agencies are working very hard to make sure they protect us and apprehend them”.

    The governor, however, urged   District Heads, Village Heads and local government executives to share information for curbing criminality.

    “Please, don’t sleep, because nobody will do that for you; you have to protect yourselves; you have to stand up and protect yourselves; they cannot overcome us but we have to overcome them.”

    “We know their routes, they are coming from Plateau state through Kurgwi to Kardam and Lere and so on.

    “Insha Allah, since we know their routes and with technology, we are going to get them,” he said.

    Mohammed said that his administration commiserated with the affected families, and assured to get to the hoodlums, adding that  “we are going to be very daring against them”.

    Earlier, Police Commissioner, Umar Sanda assured that his Officers and men are on top of the situation and very soon they will make a breakthrough in apprehending the criminals.

    Sanda promised to continue to do his best to effectively police the entire state and keep the residents safe and protected.

  • Bauchi won’t be safe haven for bandits – Bala Mohammed

    Bauchi won’t be safe haven for bandits – Bala Mohammed

    Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State said on Saturday that the state would not be a safe haven for bandits.

    Mohammed said this when he paid a condolence visit to the people of Sabon Gari, Jada community in Alkaleri Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    Some gunmen had on Thursday invaded a house in the community and killed one woman, Mariam Mohammed, who tried to stop them from kidnapping her son.

    Other communities raided by the gunmen where three other persons were killed and three others injured included; Wadan, old Jamari, Sabuwa, and Jauro Bano.

    The Police Command in Bauchi State had on June 19, confirmed the abduction of a former Secretary-General of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Sani Toro.

    Also abducted were former assistant coach of Super Eagles, Mr Garba Yila, and one Alhaji Isah Jah.

    Speaking during the condolence visit, the governor said in order to tackle the challenges all hands must be on the deck.

    He called on the residents to join hands with the state government, as well as the security agencies to flush out the criminals in the state.

    Mohammed described the woman who was killed during the invasion of the community as a heroine, adding that her death was not in vain and promised that his administration would immortalise her.

    The governor said that her heroic act was an example for others, especially women.

    “If left unchecked the relative peace enjoyed in the state will be in danger as bandits appear to be emboldened in their onslaught on several parts of the country.

    `These recent attacks by bandits are becoming a thing of concern and I charge you all to be on the alert. Security agencies cannot defeat bandits without the support of the people.

    “I call on everybody to join hands with the security agencies in the fight against criminals”, he said.

    The governor also promised to strengthen relations between communities and security agencies, particularly the police.

    Earlier, the chairman of Alkaleri LGA, Mr Yusuf Garba, commended the governor for the visit, saying it was a demonstration of his love for his people and concern for security in the state

  • Bala Mohammed wins Bauchi PDP guber primary

    Bala Mohammed wins Bauchi PDP guber primary

    Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has won the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) re-scheduled governorship primary election in the state.

    The Returning Officer and Chairman, Governorship Primary Election Committee, Mr. Murtala Damagum, announced Mohammed’s victory at the end of the exercise held on Saturday in Bauchi.

    He said that Mohammed as the sole contestant in the election polled 646 votes.

    Damagum said that 650 out of the total 656 delegates were accredited, while 646 votes were cast, adding that the election was free and fair.

    The re-scheduled governorship primary is sequel to the voluntary withdrawal of Ibrahim Kashim, who won the May 28 election in the state.

    Kashim, who was the Secretary to the State Government, resigned his position, joined the PDP governorship race, and polled 655 votes to emerge as its flag bearer while Mohammed sought the presidential ticket of the party.

    Sequel to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDP’s presidential candidate, the governor returned to the state to seek re-election for a second term in the 2023 general elections.

    The party subsequently fixed June 4 for a fresh governorship primary election with Mohammed as the sole candidate.

    In his acceptance speech, Mohammed appreciated the party and the delegates for the smooth conduct of the exercise.

    He said the party would sweep polls in the upcoming general elections, adding that, “we have impacted positively through the provision of infrastructure and good governance in the last three years of our administration.

    “Politics is a nice game, we will continue to play politics with decency, decorum, and not a do-or-die affair,” he said.

  • 2023: It’s not easy aspiring to be president – Bauchi gov

    2023: It’s not easy aspiring to be president – Bauchi gov

    Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said that it was not easy aspiring to be president while serving as a state governor at the same time.

    Mohammed said this while hosting leadership of the Nigerian Labour Union (NLC), media chiefs, and Traders Artisans Association to a Ramadan fast break (Iftar), on Friday at the Government House, Bauchi.

    He said that his move to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries ahead of the 2023 general election was to serve the best interest of Nigerians.

    The Northern PDP Elders Forum led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, on April 23, endorsed former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and Mohammed as the party’s northern consensus presidential candidates.

    The Forum said its decision was based on certain criteria adopted in assessing the four presidential hopefuls from the north who presented themselves for the exercise.

    Mohammed said that, “this Ramadan has been very beneficial, I apologised that I have not been able to do it the way I did it last year because I have had to run up and down trying to be president and at the same time trying to be governor.

    “It is not easy to be in all places at the same time but I am doing it for you because we have to put Bauchi on the map.

    “There are some more eminently qualified people to do governorship and presidency in Bauchi. We hid behind for too long and it is time for us to accept with humility and present ourselves so that we can provide services to this country.

    “We are going to do it with humility and as democrats, whatever happens, it is to the glory of God.”

    The governor, who decried spate of porosity in the state’s payroll, called on any civil servant who had not been paid his salaries to come forward for effective investigation and solution.

    Mohammed said that his administration was working in collaboration with the NLC in the state to deal with the ghost worker syndrome.

    “The labour union has really supported us.

    “Today; we are proud, our local governments are paying their salaries on their own and in time without anybody saying he has been defaulted,” he said.

    He said the government was working through the office of the state’s Head of Service and NLC, to address leakages in its payroll, and to ensure that everything is right.

    “We have always said that if there is any person not being paid his salary, please, without arrogance, with all humility, let him come forward.

    “We are ready to pay such a person. We are ready to look at the system because the payroll has been destroyed.

    “So, nobody should blackmail us that we are not paying salaries. We are paying salaries along with gratuities,” the governor said.

    The event was attended by journalists, labour and trade union leaders in the state.

    NAN

  • Tinubu would get 2023 presidential ticket if in PDP – Bala Mohammed

    Tinubu would get 2023 presidential ticket if in PDP – Bala Mohammed

    Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has said that if Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) he would have been given the party presidential ticket.

    The Governor, who is also a PDP presidential aspirant revealed on AriseTV, that he highly respects the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader.

    “I was lucky I met Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, (vice president) Osinbajo we discussed, he (Tinubu) called me consensus.

    “I told him (Tinubu), if you were in PDP, we would have given you the (presidential) ticket because we know that without you, (Muhammadu) Buhari wouldn’t have been the president.

    “In PDP, we recognise contribution. We have people in Nigeria that we must recognise and it was definitely a good outing for me.”

  • Consensus: Our endorsement as northern presidential candidates is God’s doing – says Bauchi governor

    Consensus: Our endorsement as northern presidential candidates is God’s doing – says Bauchi governor

    Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has ascribed his endorsement as northern presidential consensus candidate of the PDP alongside former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, as the work of God.

    The Northern PDP Elders Forum led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, on Friday, endorsed Saraki and Mohammed as the consensus candidates ahead of the 2023 presidential primaries of the party.

    The Forum said its decision was based on certain criteria adopted in assessing the four presidential hopeful from the north who presented themselves for the exercise.

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who is also one of the candidates rejected the endorsement of Saraki and Mohammed as consensus candidates of the region.

    However, Mohammed told newsmen on Saturday in Bauchi that he was not aware on how the forum arrived at its decision.

    He lauded the Forum for a thorough and tremendous job, adding that, “Just yesterday, I was elected as one of the consensus candidates for the next presidential election.

    “People may take it as something influenced or that we have gone to ask people to give us the recognition, far from that, it is a mark of recognition and the work of God that I will not take for granted.

    “This recognition on my humble self and Sen. Bukola Saraki after we decided to do consensus with two others, and came on bracket after due consultations with other elders in the north.

    “We have been asked to further consult within ourselves and other aspirants within the country so that we can minimise rancour, division and any unpleasantries for us to come out with a candidate that would win the election for the PDP.

    “We have taken it as a responsibility and we are calling on others even those who didn’t make it in the consensus to come and join hands with us and our southern compatriots so as to do it with minimal rancour and come out of the primaries and selection that would produce the best in terms of leadership recruitment in the country.”

    He said the best candidate in the party might had not bought the form or stepped out to indicate his interest, noting that he was one of the best that had so far stepped out and shown interest, hence, the recognition by the northern elders forum.

    “This is part of politicking, we are not the only ones. There is also the Waziri Adamawa who has not even participated in the consensus. It is part of political engineering.

    “There are other aspirants from the South but we must work through and make sure that we come to a converging point including the group of Alhaji Sule Lamido.

    “We will make sure that we get their endorsement and confidence, and I assure you that we are going to come out of this.”

  • 2023: We are ready for consensus without acrimony – Saraki

    2023: We are ready for consensus without acrimony – Saraki

    Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, says that all the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopefuls from the North are ready for a consensus candidate during the party’s primaries without acrimony.

    He gave the assurance in Bauchi on Sunday when Saraki and Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, also a PDP presidential hopeful, paid a consultative visit to Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

    Saraki, who addressed the media on behalf of the three presidential hopefuls, said they found it necessary as stakeholders of the party to meet, brainstorm and see how things could best work out among them.

    He said: “In doing so, we met and discussed that for 2023 ahead of us, the unity and stability of the country and the growth of the country is more important than individual ambitions.

    “We also met to strive for the need for us to work together. We believe that the three of us are working together harmoniously, committed and with a lot of energy, there will be great hope for this country going ahead.

    “We appreciate that the three of us have shown aspiration to lead this country, but we also come to realise that we are all capable, competent and fit to lead this country.

    “At the end of the day, it is only one person that will lead this country in 2023; and we also resolved that we are going to work closely to ensure that we come out with a way that consensus arrangement would come among the three of us on how to go forward into leading this country.

    He added that they also believed that their role was to make things easier for them to have stability in the party, saying if there is stability in PDP, there would be stability in Nigeria.

    The former governor of Kwara, however, urged all the PDP supporters to remain focussed and united in order to uplift the party to a greater heights.

    Saraki explained that the three of them would also meet with former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to brief him about the discussions they had during the meeting in Bauchi.

  • 2023: Jonathan endorses Bala Mohammed’s presidential bid

    2023: Jonathan endorses Bala Mohammed’s presidential bid

    Nigeria’s former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has thrown his weight behind presidential aspiration of Governor Bala Mohammed, describing him as a man with patience, humility, fortitude and a good listener for a better Nigeria.

    This was expressed in a press statement by Lawal Muazu Bauchi, Aide to the Bauchi Governor on new media said that, Dr Jonathan was speaking on Thursday evening when he received in audience, Governor Bala Mohammed at his Abuja residence stressing that the Bauchi Governor was one of his hardworking ministers.

    GEJ appreciated Bala Mohammed for being with him even after office saying that he could imagine a better Nigeria with an empathetic, committed and passionate leader if Bala is given a chance to run the affairs of the Africa’s most populous state.

    He also said that Bala Mohammed will no doubt actualize the aspiration of Nigerians considering his tremendous achievements as the FCT minister and now a governor.

    Goodluck Jonathan said as a thoughtful and responsible father, he is confident Bala Mohammed will make a difference by providing Nigerians with exemplary leadership.

    He commended Governors Bala, Wike Ortom and Darius Ishaku for making him and their respective states proud calling on their counterparts to emulate their dedication and service to humanity.

    Earlier speaking, Governor Bala said he was at the residence of the former president, alongside members of his team, to seek for his blessings and inform him of his aspiration to run for the office of Nigeria’s President in the forthcoming election.

    According to Bala Mohammed Nigeria’s history of democracy will continue to remember GEJ as a hero for his commitments to strengthening it apart from his sacrifices and for ensuring that free and fair election prevailed.

    Also speaking, Professor Udenta O Udenta said Nigerians express hope and confidence in Bala Mohammed considering his love for unity,inclusivity, fairness, equity, peace, progress and development of Nigeria.