Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed Wednesday, November 9 spoke about his relationship with the camp of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noting that he is he pitched his tent with them.
He made this statement while receiving the governors in Wike’s camp in Bauchi State. The disagreement within the party’s is between the camp of Wike and that of the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.
The four other members of the Wike’s camp held a meeting in Bauchi including Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) but the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, is said to be abroad,
Governor Bala said he was in alliance with the aggrieved governors led by Wike. The Bauchi governor had informed the national chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, about his intent to exit the campaign council over anti-party tendencies of some party members loyal to Atiku to stop his re-election bid.
“The governors of G5, they called themselves ‘Integrity Group’. I am supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for some reasons best known to them. But I am highly connected with them, each and every one of them. There is no day that I don’t call to speak with each of them.
“In politics, you go with the people that you share something in common with. The presidency that we ran where my brother was defeated and he defeated me has brought us close. Of course, at the Governors Forum, one thing I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges even though they are not running for a second term but they are always worried, “he said. Responding to a question on where he belongs, he said, “For the G5 governors, I always talk to them that I was a G1 but I am inexorably connected with them because we have always been together.
“It is no longer secret that I wrote a letter to the party on my position in Bauchi, what I have found out to be working against me as a leader and as a governor going for my second term.”
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Wike said that Governor Mohammed was a key member of their group and that they were in Bauchi to pay solidarity with their friend and colleague.
Wike said they are still open to reconciling with Atiku saying, “We have never closed the door for reconciliation, all we are saying for equity, fairness and justice that is the hallmark of what PDP stands for. We have never closed door and will not close door. All we saying is let the right thing be done.
“This G5 you are seeing was the bedrock of the party so we will not close the door for reconciliation and we are open for reconciliation any day, anytime,” he said.
