Bauchi: Governor Bala’s Nepotism, Intolerance, Really Worrisome – Publisher Says
BY ADEYEMI AKANJIN – Publisher of WikkiTimes, a Bauchi based Digital Accountability, Investigative and Data Journalism outlet, Mr Haruna Mohammed Salisu, has accused Governor Bala Mohammed of intolerance and crass nepotism in running the affairs of the state.
He described the level of nepotism in the state’s administration as alarming, stressing that selective appointments involving Governor Mohammed’s family members and associates in prominent ministries and agencies has become worrisome.
Salisu also accused Governor Mohammed of high level of intolerance to constructive criticisms, saying that many individuals who dare questioned the Governor’s administration are either being jailed or silenced by every means possible.
The Publisher further accused Mohammed of engaging in nepotism, stressing that he only gave appointments into key positions to individuals who are his blood relatives.
In the words of Salisu; “Let us look at your cabinet. Strategic ministries are manned by your family and friends. Who is heading the PHC? He is your blood relative, why, because everyone knows that there is intervention from developmental partners running into Billions of Naira. “Therefore, one of the ways to siphon money there is to have loyalists and family members to man such places.
“To the best of my knowledge, there is no any Governor in Northern Nigeria that demonstrated glaring disregard to due process and nepotism like Governor Mohammed. He is very nepotistic and highly intolerant of constructive criticism of his administration’s policies,” Salisu said.
The publisher also cited a select youths who were arrested and remanded in prison during the 2023 general elections for merely posting dissenting opinions on Facebook, saying that Governor Mohammed sees anyone who constructively criticized his administration as an enemy.
According to Salisu; “Not only that, his family joined him in hating anyone trying to expose wrongdoings of his administration.
“You had me arrested and jailed because of the kind of works we do at WikkiTimes, exposing your wrongdoings,” Salisu said.
He challenged Governor Mohammed to explained how his recent trip to China and the MOU signed between the state and some Chinese companies on mineral resources mining will benefit the common man.
“Let us look at the Bauchi 2025 budget, how much are we going to get from such mineral resources you said you went to China to sign MOU on? Where is the money going to? Why did you failed to capture that in the 2025 appropriation to demonstrate to Bauchi people that some amounts of money will be generated through those MoUs?” he asked.
