Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State, has accused the Federal Government of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to harass him and officials of his administration over his refusal to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor made the allegation on Wednesday, December 31, in Bauchi while signing the state’s 2026 appropriation bill into law, claiming that one of his commissioners is currently being detained by the EFCC.
“As a governor, someone who is the head of the opposition, my commissioner has been kept and will not be released by the EFCC. Even when I have immunity as a governor, my name was stupendously mentioned in a motion in a court of law in Nigeria. Me, Bala Mohammed,” he said.
Mohammed alleged that the APC-led Federal Government was weaponising state institutions to intimidate political opponents.
“The APC-led federal government thinks they can use the courts and institutions of government, like the EFCC, to persecute and prosecute Nigerians who are not within their own party,” he said.
The governor, who also chairs the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, insisted that no amount of pressure or harassment would force him to join the APC.
“I refuse to join their party, and I will not join their party,” he said, adding that while he had remained silent in the interest of peace and security, he would no longer do so if the alleged actions continued.
“If they don’t stop, we are going to declare war. I assure you we are not going to keep quiet any longer. I won’t allow anybody to criminalise me because I’m not in their party,” he warned.
Governor Mohammed further accused the Federal Government of neglecting Bauchi State, claiming it had failed to deliver basic infrastructure despite controlling a majority share of national resources.
“In my state, they have not provided one kilometre of road. You have not provided water. Even the security agencies, I’m the one paying them to work for us, and they have the guts to talk,” he said.
He also criticised the Federal Government’s tax policies, warning that they could further impoverish Nigerians if not reviewed.
The comments come amid reports that the EFCC has filed fresh criminal charges against Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, and others over alleged terrorism financing involving about $9.7 million.
