Gov Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has counselled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack any minister that may be considered ‘excess baggage’.
The governor made the statement in Omuma local council area of Rivers State where he commissioned some road projects executed by Gov Sim Fubara of Rivers State.
Gov Mohammed has been one of the vocal northern governors that have defended the embattled Rivers governor in his fierce battled with his godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is the FCT Minister.
Wike seems to take on battles with most persons the latest being demolitions in Abuja and alleged land grabbing.
Gov Mohammed who is back in Rivers State to give more boost to the Sim Fubara administration used the platform to advise President Fubara to get rid of what he called ‘excess baggage’.
This time, its to commission more projects. The governor has stood behind Fubara and this attracted attacks to him from the FCT Minister.
Speaking at the State School 11 Field in Obibi Umuogba community, venue of the inauguration of the 14.1km Umuakali-Eberi-Omodu Road project in Omuma Local Government Area on Saturday, Gov Mohammed, who is also the chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, expressed profound joy over the success of governance in Rivers State despite the fierce political antagonism against Gov Fubara.
Gov Mohammed advised the Federal Government, and Mr President to focus on governance and relieve those he described as excess baggage from his administration, saying: “There are those in your cabinet and around you that are both creating bad eggs. They are making you to fail, and we don’t want you to fail because we will be affected.
“In my religion and tradition, we are supposed to pray for leaders because when the leaders are good, the country and the communities will be good. We are still praying that you shine your eyes and throw away those excess baggage and bring good people. We mean well, we are not just criticizing, we are trying to say, please correct your ways so that you can succeed. If you succeed, we succeed.”
Gov Mohammed particularly stated that he felt his day made and his year ending on a good note owing to what he had witnessed at Omuma, which serves as a renewed hope for Nigeria.
He commended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for delivering good governance despite political challenges, expressing confidence in the Governor’s ability to lead effectively.
He said by what he has seen, he is no longer worried about Governor Fubara’s performance or the perception of the people about his administration.
Governor Mohammed also praised Governor Fubara’s composure and maturity in handling the state’s political crisis, attributing it to his exceptional character and leadership style.
He remarked that Fubara exemplifies that political maturity is not defined by longevity in politics.
The Bauchi State Governor further advised politicians to recognize when to step aside and allow the younger generation to lead, adding that Governor Fubara’s achievements make him more of a “field marshal” than a “general” That he is.
He urged Rivers people to support Fubara for a second term in 2027.
In his address, Governor Siminalayi Fubara expressed gratitude to the people of Omuma for their unwavering support, especially during the escalation of the political crisis in the state.
He attributed his administration’s seamless operations to the collective efforts of the people and the backing of key political leaders.
He described the Umuakali-Eberi Road project as significant for their development and thanked Governor Bala Mohammed for honouring his invitation to commission the project.
Governor Fubara restated his commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises, emphasizing that his focus is on building capable men and women to drive rapid development, rather than promoting individuals.
As part of his developmental agenda, Governor Fubara announced plans to take over the revamping of the secondary school and healthcare centre in the area from the Local Government Chairman, Promise Reginald.
He also pledged to reconstruct more roads in the area, reaffirming his dedication to delivering good governance
