Fubara: Only NWC Can Take Action Against Wike – Gov Mohammed

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has said only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) can take action against Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Bala Mohammed said PDP governors are with Rivers State Governor, Siminalaya Fubara, in the political tussle he has with Wike.

The chairman of PDP Governors Forum said though the governors of the party are with Fubara, Wike remained friend to all the governors. He said the governors cannot take action against Wike or Fubara.

Bala Mohammed said this in an interview with a Channels TV correspondent. He said the party leadership must take action to settle the political dispute.

“The governors of PDP are with Fubara because he is our member. At the same time, we recognize that Wike is our friend and he has been a credible member of the party. We cannot just abandon him immediately because he has problem.

“I sympathize with both of them. Sympathize with us as friends of both sides because we have no power to go and enforce our position on any one of them. We are urging the party to take position on that because it is the National Working Committee that will do what is required,” PDP Governors Forum chairman said.

Speaking on the issues between FCT Senator, Ireti Kingibe and Wike; Mohammed, who was a former FCT minister, called on Wike to work with Ireti.

He said the FCT Minister has a responsibility to carry all stakeholders in the capital city along. He added that Wike was wrong to say he could not carry Senator Ireti along in his administration of FCT.

“Wike is wrong for him to say that. He should be interacting with everybody, including the local chiefs and the Senator of FCT. I will tell him if I meet him. The FCT senate is like the mayor. I will advise Wike to connect with Senator Ireti so that together they can move FCT forward,” he told Ikumi.

Governor Bala Mohammed, however, said his administration will not be able to pay the approved ₦70,000 minimum wage. He said his administration can only pay ₦50,000.

Governor Bala argued that fixing a particular minimum wage for all states was wrong because many states were yet to pay the 2019 ₦30,000 minimum wage.

“I’m paying 30,000 minimum wage. I’m one of the states paying minimum wage. There are many states that are not paying that. So there is no way to fix a rate. I can afford to pay N50,000. Some states are not paying ₦30,000. We pay ₦30,000. If I pay ₦60,000 that is like all the money I am getting from federation account,” he added while answering question of minimum wage.