Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam, has accused former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, of political opportunism, alleging that he has turned against those who once supported him.
Akuyam claimed that Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, provided Dogara with a political lifeline after he failed to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the House of Representatives in 2019. Expressing disappointment, he criticized Dogara for what he described as a betrayal of 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 stated.
Akuyam also weighed in on the ongoing rift between Governor Bala Mohammed and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, describing it as a clash between institutional governance and personal loyalty.
“Bala Mohammed’s ‘crime’ is insisting on strong institutions over strong individuals. If that is an offense, then let history judge,” he said.
The former PDP chairman accused Dogara of aligning himself with politicians based on financial incentives rather than principles. He criticized Dogara for what he called a pattern of political inconsistency, despite having risen to prominence at a young age.
“For a man like Dogara, who was fortunate to rise politically early in life, it is disappointing to see him squander his potential on self-conceit and inconsistency,” he remarked.
In a statement titled “Bala Vs. Wike: Because I Am Involved,” Akuyam dismissed Dogara’s claims that Wike manipulated the 2018 PDP primaries in favor of Bala Mohammed. Dogara had alleged that Wike influenced the appointment of Chief Dan Orbih to oversee the primaries, ensuring Mohammed’s victory.
Akuyam refuted this claim, asserting that while Wike was a stakeholder in the PDP, Bala Mohammed had already built strong political capital within the party.
“To paint Bala Mohammed as a helpless politician who needed Wike’s deliverance is nothing short of a figment of Dogara’s imagination,” Akuyam said. “If he has witnesses, let him bring them forward.”
He further accused Dogara of inflating his own political relevance while failing to secure his APC nomination in 2019.
The dispute comes amid ongoing tensions between Wike and Bala Mohammed over the PDP’s leadership crisis. Governor Mohammed has accused Wike of betraying the party by aligning with the APC and has called for his resignation. In response, Wike dismissed the accusations, labeling Mohammed a hypocrite.
The disagreement between the two leaders has also been linked to political tensions in Rivers State, adding another layer of complexity to the PDP’s internal crisis.
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