There was mild drama at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on
Friday, when the state’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, allegedly slapped the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated altercation.
The incident occurred during the turbaning of former Bauchi
State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi
Emirate, which coincided with the wedding of his daughter, Khadija Mohammed.
The high-profile event was attended by top political figures
including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu
Inuwa Yahaya, among others.
According to eyewitnesses, the clash ensued after the
Foreign Minister reportedly made disparaging comments about the Bala
Mohammed-led administration, comments the deputy governor allegedly found
offensive.
“The Deputy Governor was visibly furious. It was a shocking
moment. If not for Vice President Shettima’s swift intervention, it could have
escalated badly,” a source told our correspondent.
The altercation is believed to be a continuation of the
long-standing political rift between Minister Tuggar and Governor Bala
Mohammed. Tuggar, a staunch critic of the PDP-led government in the state.
Tuggar had earlier accused the governor of using President
Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms to kickstart his 2027 presidential ambition.
In a January appearance on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics,
Tuggar had said: “Governor Bala Mohammed showed clearly that he did not have
any sincerity of purpose. He used the tax bill debate to jumpstart his
presidential campaign.”
Reacting, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Aminu Gamawa,
described the minister’s comments as “opportunistic and undiplomatic,” accusing
him of seeking to curry favours from the Tinubu administration.
“Tuggar’s ambition to run for governor in 2027 is the real
reason behind these constant attacks. But maligning a performing governor won’t
help him,” Gamawa said.
He added that the minister’s alleged “absentee politics” and
poor performance in foreign affairs had diminished Nigeria’s diplomatic
strength, especially in Africa.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Bauchi
State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued an
official statement on the matter.
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