ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi
Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, has said that he feels the pains of the aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, also known as “the G-5 governors.”
He said this when the G-5 governors of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Benue State, Samuel Ortom; Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and that of Abia State, Okezie Ipaezu, paid him a visit at the Ramat House, Bauchi, on Wednesday.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde who was conspicuously absent, was said to have traveled out of the country.
Governor Mohammed, who was full of appreciation to the governors for the visit, said that he was with them but they “ex-communicated” him.
He added that he is “highly connected with each of them,” pointing out that he shares their pains as much as they share his however, noting that their ideas might be slightly different from his.
He said: “I am supposed to be with them but they ex-communicated me for some reasons best known to them. But, I am highly connected with them, each and every one of them. There is hardly a day that I don’t call or speak to one of them, because in politics, you go with the people you share things in common.
“This presidency that we ran that my brother (Woke) was defeated in but he defeated me had brought us close; of course, at the Governors’ Forum. One thing I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges.
“They’re not going back for a second term, all of them, but they’re always worried. Their own particular ideas may be slightly different from theirs, but certainly, I bear and feel their pains as much as they feel my own pains. We share so much in common.”
Mohammed said that he was happy that his “friends” were in the state and he would have the opportunity to discuss with them issues of “undercutting, anti-party, treachery and mischief” which he noted, affect him.
Speaking about the G-5 governor’s, Mohammed said: “They know I have challenges in Bauchi, the challenges of anti-party, the challenges of undercutting, treachery and mischief. But of course, politics is about all these. And when you know that you have people of this stature and caliber behind you, you fell fulfilled.
“Because there is hardly anything we can do better than what we can do for them that have gone for second term and they have left legacies and landmarks, even for me that has just done one term, I have done enough, because I am not the only one on the surface of the earth in Bauchi.
“I’m happy they are here and I’ll have the opportunity of confiding in people that I believe I can confide in, some of my worries, fears, apprehensions and that of my state.
“So, I’m happy that you came because some of those things may not be said on the telephone, but to say that as PDP members from the same family, I always see you as fellow comrades in this journey of life. I thank you most sincerely for taking the trouble to come.”
Speaking earlier on behalf of the group, governor Wike, who was addressed as the leader of the G-5 governors, said he wasn’t the Chairman but Benue State is, added that he was only asked to speak on behalf of the group.
Shortly after hey spoke to the press, the governors immediately went into a closed door meeting.
He said they were in Bauchi to “fraternize” and “solidarize” with Mohammed and to find out how they can be of help to him in his campaign bid for a second term.
“Let me correct an impression that I am not the Chairman of the G-5 Governors, it is the governor of Benue state, he has allowed me to, on behalf of our team to speak, and again, to apologize that the governor of Oyo State (Seyi Makinde) traveled to the United States of America on Monday night. He would have been here with us but he traveled after the campaign in Benue State, so he’s here with us in spirit.
“We came here to solidarise with our friend, the governor of Bauchi State. I know he’s running election for a second tenure and what we are doing for those who are our friends is to go and meet them, find out how things are and ask them how the election is going. This period is a period you must identify with your friends,” Wike said.
He added that: “Luckily, the four of us who are here, we’re not running for a second term again even though, they’re running for Senate, I am the only one who is not going for any election after I failed the presidential primary, even though I defeated Kauran Bauchi (Bala Mohammed).
“So, a straight forward thing, nothing more, but to fraternize with him and to find out how things are with him, are there areas we can discuss in which we can help in terms of advice; this is key for us because what affects him, affects us and that was why we came. Nothing more than that, just to see how you’re doing, how you’re planning, by the grace of God, he’s done so much to Bauchi and the people of Bauchi will still vote for him to come back for a second tenure.”
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