Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has dismissed speculation surrounding his absence from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum’s New Year visit to President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, attributing it to a personal loss.
On New Year’s Day, several governors met with President Tinubu at his Bourdillon Road residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. The meeting was attended by Governors Abba Yusuf (Kano), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo). Others present included Babagana Zulum (Borno), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Usman Ododo (Kogi).
Governor Mohammed, who also chairs the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors’ Forum, was notably absent, fueling speculation about the reasons for his no-show.
According to The PUNCH, the absence comes amid heightened tensions between the Bauchi governor and the Presidency over proposed tax reforms, with recent accusations exchanged between the two parties.
However, Mohammed’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, clarified that the governor’s absence was due to the death of his stepmother, Hauwa Duguri, who passed away on New Year’s Day at the age of 102.
“The governor’s absence from the visit has nothing to do with politics,” Gidado said on Thursday. “His 102-year-old stepmother, Hauwa Duguri, passed away on the same day as the visit. The governor has been in his country home in Duguri, mourning her loss and receiving sympathisers.”
Gidado also dismissed claims linking Mohammed’s absence to his recent disagreements with the Presidency, calling such insinuations “uncalled for.”
“The governor has been deeply affected by this personal loss, and it is unfair to read political meanings into his absence. This is a period of mourning, and any other interpretation is baseless,” he said.
Governor Mohammed’s recent public exchanges with the Presidency have drawn attention, with the Presidency accusing him of issuing threats against the President, while Mohammed accused the federal government of blackmail over the proposed tax reforms.
