Bauchi Deputy Governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar
By AUSTIN TSENZUGHUL, Bauchi –
A controversy has erupted in Bauchi State after Bauchi Deputy Governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, was accused of slapping Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, last Friday.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred in the presence of high-profile individuals, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Bala Mohammed, while they were on their way to the Emir’s palace for a wedding ceremony and turbaning of the immediate past Governor Muhammad Abubakar.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the confrontation began after Minister Tuggar made “unpalatable criticisms” against Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration, which allegedly infuriated Deputy Governor Jatau and led to the physical altercation.
However, the media aide to the Deputy Governor, Muslim Lawal, denied knowledge of the incident, describing it as unimaginable. “No, no, how can a deputy governor slap a minister? I don’t think such ever can happen in Bauchi because I know my principal as a responsible leader and number two citizen in Bauchi can never slap a minister or any person,” Lawal said.
Efforts to get a reaction from Minister Tuggar were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed, the governor’s son, appeared to celebrate the alleged incident on social media, posting “This is the First Deputy Governor to Slap a Minister in Bauchi. Mr Taka Ka Sha Mari. #Boris.”
The feud between the Minister and Governor Mohammed began when the governor criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies, prompting Tuggar to defend the president and accuse the governor of hiding behind Tinubu’s policies to further his political ambitions.
