War of words: Wike’s aide label Bala Mohammed ‘anywhere-belle-face politician’
By Ukpono Ukpong
The political landscape took a fiery turn as the Senior Special Assistant to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, launched a scathing attack on Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
The attack came in response to Mohammed’s criticism of Barrister Nyesom Wike’s ministerial appointment under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.
In a sharply worded statement titled “Bala Mohammed and His Masturbation About Wike”, Olayinka accused the Bauchi governor of hypocrisy and incompetence, alleging that Mohammed lacks the capacity to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
He described the governor’s comments as a weak attempt to justify his own political failures.
Furthermore, he argued that Wike’s ministerial role is not unprecedented, citing historical examples of opposition members who served in federal administrations led by opposition parties.
“Like I said yesterday, the appointment of Barrister Nyesom Wike as a Minister has remained the only excuse available for the Bauchi State governor to defend his glaring lack of capacity to lead the PDP as Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.
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“Wike is not the first member of opposition parties in Nigeria to serve as Minister and he won’t be the last.
“Late Chief Bola Ige, a member of Alliance for Democracy (AD), was a Minister under the PDP Govt of Obasanjo.
“Dr Olu Agunloye, a member of AD then was a Minister under the PDP Govt of Obasanjo.
“Mrs Modupe Adesanya, daughter of the late Afenifere leader and a member of AD was a Special Adviser under the PDP Govt of Obasanjo.
“Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, a member of ANPP then, was a Minister under the PDP Govt of late Umar Yar’Adua.
“Present Governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, who was a Senator under ANPP, resigned from the Senate to accept Ministerial appointment under the PDP Govt of Jonathan.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike, a member of the PDP is currently serving as a Minister under the APC Govt of Tinubu.
“Bianca Ojukwu, a member of APGA, is currently serving as a Minister under the APC Govt of Tinubu.”
Olayinka did not hold back in his criticism, even as he lebeled the Bauchi governor an “anywhere-belle-face politician” who would readily switch allegiances for personal gain.
He highlighted Mohammed’s political trajectory as evidence of his opportunistic tendencies, questioning the credibility of his criticisms against Wike.
Olayinka pointed out that the Bauchi governor, who was elected Senator under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), resigned to accept a ministerial appointment under the PDP government of Goodluck Jonathan.
He accused the Bauchi governor of hypocrisy for attempting to rationalize his defection to the PDP after becoming a minister.
Olayinka emphasized that Wike’s appointment should not be singled out, as it aligns with historical practices in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“Now, the same Bala Mohammed, who left the Senatorial mandate he got as ANPP member to become Minister under a PDP Government is running his mouth like a faulty tap. He said he resigned after becoming a Minister, issorite. But the question is, as a Senator elected under the platform of ANPP, should he have accepted to be Minister under a PDP government?
“That he (Bala Mohammed) defected to the PDP few months after becoming a Minister is a further demonstration of his anywhere-belle-face politics and obviously, if he was offered even a Special Assistant position by the APC Govt of Buhari in 2015, he would have accepted it and defect to the APC.”
In a parting shot, the FCT Minister’s aide declared that he and his team would no longer engage with the Bauchi governor.
“As for us, we are done with any object by the name Bala Mohammed. The reason is that we have better things to do, and we won’t be available to be used by any ineffectual being to lunch a dead-on-arrival 2027 presidential ambition.”
