Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has clarified that his absence from the New Year visit to President Bola Tinubu’s Lagos home was not politically motivated.
Gists9ja reports that the visit, which took place on January 1, 2025, saw governors from across the country under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) gather at the President’s residence in Ikoyi.
Governors in attendance included Abba Yusuf of Kano, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, and others. However, Governor Mohammed, who also chairs the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, was noticeably absent, prompting speculation given the recent tensions between him and the Presidency, particularly regarding proposed tax reforms.
In an interview with Punch on Thursday, Governor Mohammed’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, explained that the governor’s absence was due to personal reasons and not political differences. Gidado revealed that Governor Mohammed had been mourning the loss of his 102-year-old stepmother, Hauwa Duguri, who passed away on New Year’s Day. The governor had been receiving condolences from well-wishers, which kept him in his hometown of Duguri during the visit.
Gidado stressed that it was inappropriate to link the governor’s absence to his recent disagreements with the Presidency over the tax reform proposals, emphasizing that it was purely a matter of mourning a family loss.
