There was a mild drama on Friday at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi as the Deputy Governor of the state, Auwal Jatau, allegedly slapped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated altercation.
The incident, which stunned dignitaries in attendance, took place during the turbaning ceremony of a former Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, who was honoured with the title of Makama Babba I of the Bauchi Emirate. The event also coincided with the wedding of the former governor’s daughter, Khadija Mohammed.
It was a high-profile gathering graced by notable political heavyweights including the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, and the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, among others.
Eyewitnesses said trouble started when the Foreign Affairs Minister reportedly made disparaging remarks about the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed, which the Deputy Governor allegedly found offensive.
“The Deputy Governor was visibly furious. It was a shocking moment. If not for Vice President Shettima’s swift intervention, it could have escalated badly,” a source at the event confided in our correspondent.
Insiders believe the altercation is a fallout of the long-standing political feud between Minister Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed. Tuggar, a fierce critic of the Peoples Democratic Party-led administration in Bauchi State, has consistently accused the governor of ulterior political motives.
In January, while speaking on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels Television, the minister had alleged that Governor Mohammed was using President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms as a launchpad for his 2027 presidential ambition.
“Governor Bala Mohammed showed clearly that he did not have any sincerity of purpose. He used the tax bill debate to jumpstart his presidential campaign,” Tuggar had claimed.
Responding at the time, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Aminu Gamawa, had described Tuggar’s outburst as “opportunistic and undiplomatic,” insisting that the minister’s comments were a calculated attempt to curry favour with the Tinubu-led federal government.
“Tuggar’s ambition to run for governor in 2027 is the real reason behind these constant attacks. But maligning a performing governor won’t help him,” Gamawa had fired back.
He also criticised the minister’s alleged “absentee politics” and what he described as a poor outing in the foreign affairs portfolio, stating that Tuggar’s leadership had weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic clout, particularly within Africa.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Bauchi State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued an official statement on the incident.
DAILY POST
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