•Nobody can put fire in Bauchi, Mohammed replies Wike

The governors under the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have insisted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the party leader in Rivers State as said during its last meeting.

Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, reiterated the position of the Forum in accordance with the party’s constitution yesterday.

Mohammed, while reacting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, when he received members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), said members of the party must close ranks and save PDP from collapsing, adding that the party is responsible for “most of the development in the country.

“Whenever we quarrel, it is not personal, nobody should misunderstand us, we are together, this is not a splinter group. You can see that we are together (in Bauchi), nobody can put fire here. Bauchi has a volume of water. Even my friend that is saying that is just saying that because he is annoyed. Maybe I have said something that annoyed him, but it is not personal. My friend is my friend, my job is my job and leadership is leadership,” he said.

While speaking, the National Legal Advisor of PDP, Kamaldeen Ajibade Adeyemi (SAN), said that whatever step the party’s governors take, the NWC is with them. “We feel it is imperative for us to identify with you and to tell you that whatever step taken by the governors’ forum, we as your representative as the National Working Committee will always be glad to implement it,” he said.

Wike had condemned the position of the PDP Governors’ Forum recognising Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers. Wike had on August 31, said: “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us. I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give it back to somebody. I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take.”

Wike pointed accusing fingers at Bauchi governor, Mohammed, promising sleepless nights to governors who leave their states to challenge him in Rivers.