I’m not part of any plans to foment trouble in Nigeria – Bauchi Gov explains

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has said he is neither aware of any plans to foment trouble in Nigeria nor be a part of such plans.

The governor also said he was ready to be stripped of his immunity to allow security agencies to probe and prosecute him for such plans if he is found to be involved.

Widespread reports had claimed there were plans by an unnamed serving and former governors from the North-West zone to cause crisis in the country.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday at the Government House shortly after inaugurating a 45-man White Paper implementation committee on the report of the panel of inquiry on land use and farmer/herders clashes, Governor Mohammed denied any knowledge of such plans.

The governor said he was disturbed to have read about insinuation on the pages of national dailies that some governors in the North were trying to cause trouble in the country.

He said his antecedents in the public space as a civil servant, a senator, a minister before becoming a governor did not show did him as a person who would cause trouble in the country.

“Let me use this medium to clear the issue of some governors and of course, I have seen some insinuations that a North-East governor –may be referring to me or some kinds of insinuation that I’m trying to foment trouble or cause riots in Northern Nigeria in conjunction with a former governor and a serving governor.

“I want to categorically dissociate myself from this kind of action. My antecedent as a civil servant, a senator, a minister does not show this kind of action,” Mohammed said.

He asserted that he and others were working hard to make Northern Nigeria safe for all, adding that despite this, some people are trying to cause disaffection between some of them and security agencies.

“We are working very hard to make sure that Nigeria and Northern Nigeria are safe. Some people are threatened maybe because of the rising profile of some of us and they are using this to cause disaffection between some of us and security agencies,” he said.

He, however, urged the security agencies to swing into action to investigate, declaring that if he was found wanting or guilty, the agencies should “please come and prosecute me irrespective of our constitutional protections because, to me, this is the last thing I could do”.

The governor affirmed his belief in the Nigerian project, adding that he could not work against the Federal Government, knowing that Bauchi State has benefited so much from the Federal Government since he became the state governor.

He said”I believe in the Nigeria project; I believe in the unity of Nigeria. My personal ambition will not cause me to extract against Federal Government.

“Bauchi State has benefited so much since I became the governor from the Federal Government. We got over N12 billion from President Buhari-led administration to build houses. We have gotten a refund of over N12 billion with which we have used to set Bauchi on a path of prosperity.

“We have benefited so much from the Federal Ministry of Finance. We will be the last to cause disaffection between the state and the Federal Government.

“Those who are looking for a reason to raise their profile should look for other means. They should not use Bala Mohammed for this.”

He declared that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable, adding that having come a long way, nothing could separate Nigerians.

“As Nigerians, we have come a long way together; nothing can separate us. We are closely knitted together through various ways and means. We must continue to tolerate each other.”