..Says they share something in common
Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed has opened up to the Group of Five (G-5) Governors, comprising Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Seyi Makinde; Samuel Ortom (Benue); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) on fears for his second term bid.
The G-5 governors, who arrived in Bauchi, the State capital to woo Mohammed to their camp, are trying to capitalise on the perceived rift between Mohammed and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Mohammed had complained to the national chairman of the party Senator Iyorchia Ayu, that Atiku sidelined him by refusing to see him after the presidential primary after he visited other aspirants. He added that Atiku is allegedly working against his re-election bid in the State.
The Governor, who is the vice chairman of the Atiku Campaign Council in the Northeast, also alleged that Atiku picked campaign coordinators from his State without consultation with him.
In his letter to the National Chairman, the Bauchi Governor opened up on how he was hurt by Atiku and demanded an apology. In his view, Atiku was bent on “punishing him for contesting the presidential primary and not stepping down for him”. Mohammed’s letter forced Ayu to lead a delegation to Bauchi last Saturday to appease him.
Speaking before a closed-door meeting with the G5 Governors Mohammed said he knows he can confide in them. He said: “I share a lot in common with the G-5 Governors. I’m supposed to be with the G-5 but they excommunicated me.
However, the Governor did not state whether he had joined Wike’s camp or not.
Addressing newsmen shortly after their closed-door meeting Wike said they were in the State on a solidarity visit to Mohammed. He however did not reveal the outcome of the meeting other than they were on a solidarity visit, adding that the G-5 is still open to reconciliation.
