Yussuf Tuggar,
Yussuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has accused Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State of attacking President Bola Tinubu due to his own presidential ambitions.
Mohammed, who has been a vocal critic of Tinubu recently, especially after the introduction of new tax reform bills, has claimed the policies are detrimental to the northern region and the general public, benefiting only certain parts of the country.
The governor, who also chairs the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has warned that if these policies persist, the North would oppose the president.
In response, the presidency called on him to retract his statements, but instead, Mohammed continued his criticism.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tuggar accused Mohammed of insincerity, arguing that the governor was using his criticism of the tax reforms to further his own political ambitions.
Tuggar pointed out that while other governors had raised concerns over the tax bills, they were doing so with a genuine interest in improving the policy, unlike Mohammed, who he claimed was using the issue as a platform to begin his presidential campaign early.
Tuggar also revealed that Mohammed had attempted to meet with the president, first using a religious event to request an audience.
However, the president directed that Mohammed’s letter be forwarded to Tuggar, who suggested that the governor’s behind-the-scenes actions showed a lack of sincerity.
According to Tuggar, Mohammed’s letter contained requests for support for foreign Islamic scholars, which he allegedly used as a means to meet with the president and make his case quietly.
Mohammed, however, defended his position, stating there was no harm in criticizing Tinubu, pointing to the president’s own past opposition to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to remove fuel subsidies in 2012.
