Yakubu Dogara, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, has revealed that Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was key to Bala Mohammed becoming governor of Bauchi State in 2019.
He made this known in an open letter he titled, “Gov Bala vs HE Wike: let the truth be told” against the backdrop of public spat between Wike and Mohammed over the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dogara also pointed out how Wike went about getting Mohammed the PDP ticket and campaign funds to run for office in the letter.
Governor Mohammed’s recent attack on Wike shocked the former speaker.
“As I witness this gross injustice, the questions I ask myself, are: is my comfort more important than saying the truth and is my fear of conflict worth allowing harm to go unchallenged? I have learned enough over the years to know without a doubt that if I choose to prioritize my comfort over the victim, I will fail both myself and the other. This is because injustice itself is a lingering wound, which is only made worse when left alone, Dogara said.
He further stated, “As someone who knows so much because I was the provocateur of the events between the two that I will speak to, I consider my silence not just cowardice but complicity. I don’t feel the need to fight alone or run into other people. I should not be misunderstood as defending Wike; rather, I’m simply stating the absolute truth, which I know and don’t care if Wike looks good. I have learnt to say the truth as I enjoy my freedom from being a slave to human opinion.
Need to remind Governor Bala Mohammed that in the 2018 PDP Gubernatorial primaries, when we were not entirely certain whether he would win because his then-majority opponent, Senator Abdul Ningi, was the one who created the State party structure and had a good friend as Party chairman, Wike was the one we turned to for assistance.
Without having to reveal to Wike that it was Bala Mohammed that we wanted delivered, I had called him to ask him to assist us in Bauchi. His response to me, was that are you sure you are in control of the process 100 percent? I told him to leave it to me and that I wouldn’t be too sure, and I would help you sort it out.
Wike made Chief Dan Osi Orbih, a close friend and ally of Wike, the panel’s chairman for the primaries, first, and then told him to talk to him about anything. We got talking and on the eve of the Primaries, Chief Dan was in Benin city and we needed to get him to Bauchi for the assignment, it was to Wike that I turned to again and his response to me was, my brother, I have told you not to bother about this.
Tell Chief Dan to visit me in Port Harcourt. I did it, and amazingly, Wike provided the private jet that flew Chief Dan from Bauchi to Bauchi for the assignment. I can say without fear of any contradiction that Wike bore all expenses for the exercise. Therefore, it’s shocking that this alleged “transactional” character called Wike didn’t require any kind of support from anyone.
I detest telling stories, but I must because that is only the start. After the emergence of Bala Mohammed as the party flag bearer and having promised to sponsor all the party candidates if he gets the ticket, we were rudely awoken to the reality that Bala Mohammed had no money for his own campaigns let alone for other candidates of the party.
“Initially, I thought it was some sort of funny joke, but as the years progressed, I realized it was entirely untrue. Bala Mohammed allegedly lied to us about his financial situation. So we had a meeting at my then residence at Wuse 2 Abuja to help raise money and we thought since Bala Mohammed was one time Minister for nearly 6 years he must have built enough goodwill we could harness if we organised a fundraiser for him. We organized the fundraiser at the then-Little Kwai Hall, Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, and we spent N20 million on it.
Bala Mohammed had asked me to provide a list of some of the people he had helped while serving as FCT Minister before that. He obliged me with the list and after calling just four people on the list that I know so well, what they said to me jolted me and I reserve that for some other day.
“But suffice it to say that I was already considering alternatives because I knew the fundraiser would be a failure.” And as expected, we held the fundraiser, but to be honest, all we raised from the fundraiser was a paltry N48 million. If you deduct the N20 million that was invested in its organization, you end up with a net of N28 million. I have the records and our stakeholders are there to bear witness to this.
Wike’s financial support for Mohammed, governor
When it became clear that the masquerade would soon turn to people, I told our then-two serving Senators, who are still alive, that our only option was to approach a friend and brother, and finally Governor Wike for assistance. We got tickets and flew to Port Harcourt with Bala without informing Wike that we were coming with him.
We were ushered into the Government building upon arrival, asked to take our seats, and then waited patiently for the Governor, who was also upstairs, to join us shortly. When Wike saw Bala Mohammed walking down the stairs to join us, his expression changed and I could tell it was his first cold. He asked us to join him at the dining room for breakfast but excused me while those on my delegation waited. I must say that what followed was nerve-raking and humbling.
He asked, “Speaker, why did you bring Bala to my house without even knowing what our purpose was?” I said to him, I thought he is your friend since both of you served in the same cabinet under President Jonathan. He told me, “Let me tell you what you don’t know.” All ministers, aside from me, were given plots of land by Bala Mohammed when we were ministers.
“He also recalled how he humiliated him when he went to see him in his office as a colleague Minister just to get an approval to increase the number of floors on a building he had in Abuja, not to beg for plot which he refused to allocate to him. He claimed Bala Mohammed remained in his waiting room for hours before allegedly escaping.
That he made up his mind that he would never interact with him again on that day. He added, I wish, you had told me it’s Bala you were rooting for but whatever you want I will assist you guys because I don’t say no to a brother but I assure you, you will regret your decision if Bala Mohammed becomes Governor. The rest is history.
He told me to let me attend the dining table so I can discuss these issues with him so you can be assured that I’m not fabricating anything. We joined them at the dinning and Wike confronted Bala with these issues in the open and in our very presence. Bala admitted and pleaded for forgiveness, confirming that he had undergone a transformation. Anyone who wants to verify the veracity of these stories can have it confirmed by the Senators who were present that day.
” To cut the long story short, we passed the night at the Government house and the next morning Wike called and directed that his cash assistance be handed over to me to pass to Bala. I told your Excellency that it would be better if I called him so he could get assistance himself, as he doesn’t think you’re still angry with him.
“I sent Bala, and when he arrived, Wike’s aide delivered the package to him, who was nearly kissing the ground with the package. Wike therefore gave us the lifeline we needed to kick start Bala’s campaigns. I’ll remind Bala if he forgets what we had to leave that day. He gave us a private jet to take us back to Abuja, but we didn’t stop there.
” And I must add that was not the only time Wike helped Bala with resources and logistics. What is perplexing is that the so-called “transactional” Wike neither demanded nor required anything in exchange for everything he did. Let’s leave the story here, though, because this is not the end of it.
“With all these, my question to Bala is what happens to the golden adage that you don’t attempt to break the calabash from which you once sucked honey? Anyone who questions Bala’s use of power is an eternal heretic who needs to be destroyed at all costs because it is a poison.
Every sane person is aware that true freedom doesn’t demand that it be expressed in front of others, especially those who supported you in your time of need. For it is not in vain that they say, “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. Unfortunately, there is no room for debate over Bala’s moral failing, as there is for those of us who know him well, who both have a contempt for truth and who knows him well.
“His mental pathology exposes a man who harbors grand delusions, to the point where he would refuse to acknowledge the truth, whether it be in a private or public life, when confronted by it in an identity parade.” As someone who is false to his friends and neighbours, it is impossible for him to be true to the public.
Between Wike and Bala, Bala should be told without a doubt that it is preferable to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who he is not. Bala’s presence is unmistakable in the eyes of the public.
“When Wike was his benefactor, he said he knew Wike had done better than him and referred to him as”, someone who is courageous, focused and determined, a person qualified and competent to help salvage Nigeria”.
His words are not mine. Now that Wike has stopped receiving benefits, he is a dead body, a former friend, and a “transactional politician.” As a known wimp, he believes that Wike is now on the robs and he is punching so hard so that he can appropriate the glory from whatever pyrrhic victory that may ensue.
Is it ridiculous for someone to refer to someone as transactional when they are primarily disliked for no other reason besides being shady? I won’t be able to name the people Bala has betrayed, including his well-known godfather, Baba Waziri, Alhaji Bello Kirfi, an elder statesman, and a former minister under President Shehu Shagari in the second republic, as well as his father, Baba Waziri.
” Bala represents everything but decency which I said before that I doubted he will ever have. People who previously believed I was harsh, including Wike’s ally who pleaded with me not to discuss Bala again, are starting to notice this.
Source: Channels TV
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