Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara has slammed Governor Bala Mohammed’s recent attack, calling it juvenile and opportunistic. This exchange of sharp words exemplifies the widening schism between the two lawmakers.
Recall that in a statement released on Monday through his media adviser, Mukhtar Gidado, Governor Mohammed described Dogara’s statements as an attack on the judiciary and a display of “mindless vituperation” from a self-serving individual with scant regard for the legal system. Dogara’s full reply is a forceful rebuttal, challenging the Governor’s response and laying out a series of accusations and critiques.
“If one may ask, is it not romantically foolish to wait to be personally provoked before speaking out, as if the destitution he has subjected our people to by mismanaging our scarce resources is not enough provocation?”Dogara queried.
“I should not dignify him with a response,” Dogara asserts, “but his response was a celebration of hubris and power lust.” He continues, “The merger of these qualities is like combining Godzilla with Frankenstein—sheer madness.”
Dogara points to the high percentage of out-of-school children in Bauchi State, which stands at 64.67%, the highest in Nigeria. He criticizes the Governor for prioritizing the construction of government buildings over addressing educational deficiencies. He also rebukes the Governor’s claims about improving healthcare, arguing that Bauchi’s healthcare system is in dire straits under Mohammed’s leadership.
Addressing accusations of hypocrisy, Dogara challenges Governor Mohammed to clarify his stance during the 2023 presidential elections, suggesting that Mohammed was deceitful about his political affiliations and contributions.
“I challenge you to a debate on good governance,” Dogara offers, “and you can choose the platform and moderator. If you have criticisms about me, be man enough to say them to my face.”
“The Governor also claimed that he built primary healthcare centres in my constituency. Nothing can be more ludicrous because these are places where he won’t take even his sick puppy to for treatment. Bauchi state’s healthcare system has totally collapsed under his watch to the point that presently we don’t have up to 25 doctors in the entire state’s public hospitals. If we have them, let him produce their names and the hospitals they are manning. He thinks the sophisticated Bauchi people are fools,” the former Speaker noted.
