Olusegun Ariyo
Former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Bauchi State, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, has accused ex-speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara of political opportunism.
He claimed that Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed provided the ex-speaker a lifeline when he was stranded after failing to secure the House of Representatives ticket under the All-Progressives Congress, APC, in 2019.
He expressed disappointment that Dogara had now turned against his benefactor.
“It is ironic that a man who was politically stranded, had to be rehabilitated by Bala Mohammed, yet today, he turns around to malign his benefactor,” Akuyam said.
Akuyam described the ongoing rift between Bala Mohammed and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as a contest between institutional governance and personal loyalty.
“Bala Mohammed’s ‘crime’ is insisting on strong institutions over strong individuals. If that is an offence, then let history judge,” he stated.
Taking a swipe at Dogara’s political manoeuvring, Akuyam accused him of aligning with politicians only when financial incentives were involved.
“For a man like Dogara, who was fortunate to rise politically at a young age, it is disappointing to see him squander his potential on self-conceit and inconsistency,” he said.
In a statement titled “Bala Vs. Wike: Because I Am Involved”, Akuyam further accused Dogara of spreading “wild inconsistencies and falsehoods” in his claims that Wike manipulated the PDP primaries in favour of Governor Bala Mohammed.
He described Dogara’s intervention as a desperate attempt to distort history and align himself with political benefactors.
Dogara had alleged that Wike influenced the appointment of Chief Dan Orbih to oversee Bauchi’s 2018 PDP primaries, ensuring Bala Mohammed’s victory.
However, Akuyam refuted this claim, stating that while Wike played a role as a stakeholder, Bala Mohammed had already built significant political capital within the PDP.
“To paint Bala Mohammed as a helpless politician who needed Wike’s deliverance is nothing short of a figment of Dogara’s imagination,” Akuyam stated.
“If he has witnesses, let him bring them forward.” Akuyam attacked Dogara, accusing him of inflating his political relevance while failing to secure his own All Progressive Congress party nomination in 2019.
Recall that the FCT Minister and the Bauchi governor have been at loggerheads over the PDP leadership crisis.
Mohammed had accused Wike of betraying the PDP by aligning with the APC, while demanding his resignation.
But Wike fired back, calling Mohammed a hypocrite. The disagreement between the duo is also tied to the Rivers State crisis
