Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has given reason for his absence from the governors’ visit to President Bola Tinubu’s Lagos home on New Year’s Day, saying political meaning should not be read into it.
The governors, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) visited the president at his Bourdillon Road home in Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday.
Among the governors in attendance were; Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo) and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara).
Others were Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Usman Ododo (Kogi), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and Monday Okpebholo (Edo).
The Bauch governor, who also is the Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors’ Forum, was notably absent from the visit.
Expectedly, his absence has sparked speculation, particularly against the backdrop of recent tiff between Governor Mohammed and the Presidency over the tax reforms proposed by President Tinubu.
Earlier in the week, the Presidency accused the governor of issuing threats against the President, while Mohammed countered by accusing the Presidency of blackmail and reiterating his opposition to the reforms.
Responding to inquiries on Thursday, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, dismissed any political undertones to Mohammed’s absence from the visit to Tinubu’s house.
Gidado explained that the governor had been mourning the loss of his 102-year-old stepmother, Hauwa Duguri, who passed away on New Year’s Day.
“The stepmother of the governor, Hauwa Duguri, passed away on Wednesday, the same day as the New Year visit,” Gidado said.
“The governor has been restless. As I speak to you, we are in his country home in Duguri, mourning her loss.
“It is uncalled for to link the governor’s absence to his recent exchanges with the Presidency,” he added, noting that Mohammed was still receiving sympathisers offering condolences.
