- Claims Bauchi Gov. ‘Insulted’ His Late Father
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has narrated what led to an in-going dispute between him and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state
Tuggar who gave the narrative in an interview with BBC Hausa on Thrsday stressed it was a misunderstanding that swiftly transformed into a confrontation and almost degenerated into fisticuffs but for the presence of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
The minister said that contrary to some claims that he clashed with the Deputy Governor, the issue actually started with the Governor himself, while they were on a bus with the Vice President during the latter’s official visit to the state.
He said: “We were traveling in a vehicle accompanying the Vice President on a visit to Bauchi State. The Vice President spoke to me, and the Governor, who was sitting beside him, interjected in a conversation that didn’t concern him.
“After that, he insulted my late father—my father who has been dead for over twenty years—and then went further to threaten to slap me. But I saw that if left alone there is no way he can have advantage over me, so I stood up to show him my height.
“After that, his deputy came rushing from the back of the bus, saying he too would slap me, but he couldn’t even get close to me, especially since the Vice President was in the same vehicle.”
The minister further said, “There was no physical contact between the Governor and me—he merely said he would slap me, but when he realized he couldn’t actually reach me, the matter ended there. However, the Governor’s son, who is trying to meddle in politics, went online spreading the story that Deputy Governor Auwal Jatau slapped me.”
He added:“The Deputy Governor himself later admitted the story wasn’t true and began spreading a different version that he didn’t slap me.”
Reacting to the widespread reports that the rift was sparked by his alleged ambition to run for the office of Governor of Bauchi in the future, Tuggar responded:
“Whether I have such an ambition or not, if you look at my history, you’ll see that when it’s time to speak the truth, I do so. What’s happening directly affects my local government and our town, Udubo.”
The minister, however, attributed the rift to differences over how the Bauchi State government is being run.
He said: “Everyone can see how farmlands and grazing lands are being taken away from farmers and herders and handed over to companies. These companies then come in under the pretense of engaging in agriculture, taking loans in the process.
“This is disheartening, because when farmlands or grazing areas are seized from people, some end up being pushed into criminal activities.”
He added that if these actions were truly aimed at developing the state as claimed, “then why hasn’t Bauchi State become a leader in grain production or cattle rearing? Instead, things seem to be going backward.”
Both Tuggar and Jatau hail from the Bauchi North Senatorial District, a region that has never produced a state governor since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Although Tuggar has not formally declared his intention to run for governor in 2027, there are speculations that he is eyeing the position.
