Olusegun Ariyo
Former Bauchi State People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, has dismissed allegations made by former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, regarding the political influence of Nyesom Wike in the 2019 governorship election.
Responding in a statement titled, ‘Bala Vs. Wike: Because I Am Involved’, issued on Monday, Akuyam accused Dogara of spreading “wild inconsistencies and falsehoods” in his claims that Wike manipulated the PDP primaries in favor 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.
He recalled how Bala Mohammed and the PDP offered Dogara a political lifeline when he was sidelined by the APC.
“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 added.
Addressing another of Dogara’s claims—that Bala Mohammed betrayed former Wazirin Bauchi, Alhaji Bello Kirfi—Akuyam clarified that Kirfi was never a PDP member but was consulted due to his influence.
He argued that rather than betraying Kirfi, Bala Mohammed actually facilitated his reconciliation with the Emir of Bauchi after a previous suspension.
Akuyam described the ongoing disagreement between Governor Bala Mohammed and Nyesom Wike as a battle between constitutional order and personal loyalty.
He insisted that Bala Mohammed’s stance was about upholding institutional integrity rather than personal grievances.
“Bala Mohammed’s ‘crime’ is insisting on strong institutions over strong individuals. If that is an offence, then let history judge,” he asserted.
Akuyam further dismissed Dogara as a “serial opportunist” who only aligns with political figures based on financial incentives.
He questioned Dogara’s silence during national crises, implying that his loyalty lies where financial gain is assured.
“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.
