The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has debunked reports alleging a clash between him and the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Auwal Jatau.
Tuggar clarified that the altercation was not with the deputy but rather with the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, whom he accused of verbally insulting him and threatening to slap him during a recent visit by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Tuggar said the incident occurred inside a vehicle they shared with the Vice President during his visit to Bauchi.
“We were in the same vehicle with the Vice President when he asked me something. Governor Bala Mohammed, who was sitting nearby, interrupted and started talking, even though the conversation had nothing to do with him,” Tuggar explained.
The minister said the situation escalated when the governor allegedly began to insult his late father.
“He insulted my late father, a man who died more than 20 years ago and even went as far as standing up to say he would slap me,” he said.
Tuggar stated that he also stood up in response. “I got up as well to let him know that if we were left alone, I didn’t believe he could do anything to me, let alone slap me.”
According to the minister, things became even more heated when the deputy governor reportedly rushed toward the vehicle, but couldn’t approach him.
“After that, his deputy came running toward the vehicle saying he too would slap me, but he didn’t even get close. Don’t forget, the Vice President was right there with us and the security guards there are not that of Bauchi,” he added.
Tuggar alleged that some aides or associates of Governor Bala were behind the spread of misinformation on social media, falsely claiming that the deputy governor had slapped him.
“That is not true. Even the deputy governor, Jatau, knows nothing like that happened. Later, they changed the story to say I wasn’t slapped at all,” Tuggar said.
Recall that in April, reports surfaced alleging that Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, slapped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated altercation.
The incident was said to have occurred during the turbaning ceremony of former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as the Makama Babba I of the Bauchi Emirate.
