Popular Bauchi-based Islamic cleric Idris Abdulaziz has accused Governor Bala Muhammed of lacking financial prudence, saying the governor lacks a moral standing to criticise President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.
Governor Muhammed of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is one of the staunchest critics of the four bills before the National Assembly for consideration.
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However, Mr Abdulaziz said the governor cannot criticise the president’s policies because of his alleged reckless spending, citing the budgeting of N400 million for the purchase of six computers by the state government.
The cleric, who has been indisposed for a while due to ill health, said in a trending video that he had been monitoring the debates on the tax reform bills and the feud between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
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He accused the governor and some of his colleagues of exploiting the bills and the feud between President Tinubu and the Niger Republic junta to achieve political scores.
Mr Abdulaziz said the governor’s comments on the tax reform bills are political, urging people not to take him seriously.
Mr Muhammed had alleged that the bills were against the interests of northern Nigerian people.
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On Wednesday, while receiving a delegation of Islamic clerics led by Sani Jingir on a courtesy visit, Mr Muhammed said the federal government’s policies are not yielding the desired results.
“Take, for instance, the Tax reform policy. Of course, no government can survive without revenue; if, for instance, the sources of its revenue can be blocked, no one can run it.
“I am sure you have heard that we are quarrelling with the president. Yes, it is true; we are quarrelling because our people are suffering, and the president has refused to listen to us. You are among the few personalities that can approach the president on this issue. You are one of the people that the president listens to,” Mr Mohammed had said.
‘You are looking for cheap popularity.’
Reacting to the governor’s remarks, Mr Abdulaziz said: “It has nothing to do with showing support for the northern region. He is doing this because he is looking for cheap popularity and a way forward for himself.”
Mr Abdulaziz referenced a news article published in the Guardian and Daily Nigerian newspapers that accused the governor of wastefulness and insensitivity on the plight of the commoners by budgeting a humongous amount of money to purchase six laptop computers.
“He budgeted N66 million for each computer, and they are buying six at the cost of N400 million; it’s there in the newspapers,” the cleric said.
“The person who does this will be the one to criticise the federal government policies (Tax reform bills), telling people that he is not on good terms with the president. Your fight with the president is a result of retribution from God.”
Settling personal scores
Mr Abdulaziz, who was never shy of criticising fellow clerics, also accused Governor Muhammed of being unfair to his group in terms of the allocation of resources.
“This is the person (Governor Muhammed) who revoked our Eid Prayer ground and donated the land to other religious groups,” he lamented. “He donated 120 hectares of land to another group and revoked our one hectare; he is not fair to us.”
The cleric added: “His stands on the tax reform bills have nothing to do with patriotism but looking for a way out. We know him; it’s his style of politics, looking for an opportunity to explore.
“He is using this as an opportunity for him to get the presidency; he sees this as an opportunity to achieve what he wants by fighting the federal government.
“If the Northerners are gullible people, they will see him as a hero, and if he gets what he wants, you will suffer his cruelty, just like the way he is persecuting us now in Bauchi.”
Although the Bauchi State Government has denied budgeting such an amount for the purchase of computers, the governor’s spokesperson, Muktar Gidado, didn’t respond to phone calls and text messages requesting him to comment on other allegations raised by the cleric.
Mr Abdulazizc also threw a jab at his colleague, Mr Jingir, who led the delegation of other clerics to the Bauchi Government House and commended Governor Muhammed for building mosques. Mr Idris said the visiting clerics never cautioned their host about stealing from the public treasury.
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He also warned his colleagues against dabbling into the feud between Nigeria and Niger Republic leaders; he said the crisis is political.
He said he could not stand for any of the two leaders because they have their official spokespersons.
He cautioned his colleagues supporting politicians that money supposed to be used for citizens’ well-being was being expended on a few clerics and their organisations.
Between the cleric and Governor Muhammed
Mr Abdulaziz has been battling with Governor Muhammed over the years. Last year January, security agents raided his Dutsen Tanshi residence in the Bauchi metropolis to execute a search warrant.
He openly campaigned against Mr Muhammmed in the 2023 election. He supported Mr Muhammed’s main opponent, Abubakar Sadiq of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The cleric subsequently left Bauchi State to flee alleged persecution and threat of arbitrary arrest and detention by the state government following charges of blasphemy against religious creed.
He fled into exile but returned home after the intervention of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
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