Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, of betraying the defunct ‘G5 Governors’ in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike alleged that Mohammed manipulated the G5 group—comprising himself, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and former governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Samuel Ortom (Benue)—to settle personal scores with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
According to Wike, Mohammed had initially sought the G5’s support due to fears that Atiku would “destroy him” if he won the election. However, Wike claimed that after securing his political interests, Mohammed abandoned the group and reconciled with Atiku.
“Bala Mohammed was having issues with Atiku. He told us Atiku would kill him if he won, so we must support Asiwaju [Bola Tinubu]. We went to Bauchi to visit him, thinking he was with us. The next day, Tambuwal [former Sokoto State governor] led a delegation to see him, and Bala immediately switched sides,” Wike recounted.
The G5 governors were widely believed to have played a significant role in President Bola Tinubu’s victory by refusing to back Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
Wike, who has frequently emphasized the importance of political loyalty, criticized Mohammed’s actions, stating, “Before you hold some positions, you must be a man of character. That’s why I always talk about character.”
Neither Governor Mohammed nor his spokesperson has responded to Wike’s allegations as of the time of filing this report