WIKE DENIES ROLE IN EFCC CASE, DISMISSES BALA MOHAMMED’S CLAIMS

PUNCH-STYLE HEADLINE (IN CAPS):
WIKE DENIES ROLE IN EFCC CASE, DISMISSES BALA MOHAMMED’S CLAIMS

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected allegations by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, that he is behind the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) terrorism financing charge involving the state’s Commissioner of Finance.

Responding to the claims, Wike said he watched Governor Mohammed’s comments in which he accused him of orchestrating the challenges facing his administration, including the EFCC case. The minister described the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.

Wike recalled past political disagreements with the Bauchi governor, alleging that Mohammed had previously attempted to impose party leaders during a visit to Rivers State. He said he warned at the time that such actions could trigger internal crises.

According to the FCT minister, the current challenges confronting the Bauchi governor are a result of internal party issues, not external interference. He noted that the governor is now struggling with succession matters within his party, a situation he said he had earlier cautioned against.

Addressing the EFCC investigation, Wike said he has no role in the commission’s activities and urged those affected to clear their names through due process if they believe they have done nothing wrong.

He further dismissed what he described as a growing tendency to blame him for political or governance problems across different states, insisting that such narratives should stop.