The Bauchi State government has fired back at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, over his criticism of Governor Bala Mohammed’s stance on the Federal Government’s tax reform policy. Reacting to Tuggar’s remarks, Aminu Gamawa, Chief of Staff to Governor Mohammed, dismissed the minister’s comments as “opportunistic and desperate,” alleging that Tuggar was out of touch with the realities of governance in Bauchi State.
“Tuggar’s attack on Bala Mohammed is nothing but a bid to maintain political relevance by targeting the Governor, whose agricultural policies have turned Bauchi State into an economic hub,” Gamawa stated in a release on Wednesday.
Gamawa highlighted the Governor’s contributions to the state, particularly in agriculture, which he said had created thousands of jobs for farmers and youths. He pointed to initiatives such as the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme, which provides training in fish farming, animal husbandry, and cash crop production. He criticized Tuggar for being unaware of these developments, saying:
“Despite being from Bauchi State, Tuggar seems completely disconnected. If he spent more time at home instead of traveling across foreign capitals, he would have seen the transformation firsthand.”
Tuggar had also criticized the state’s land use policies, particularly the Tiamin Rice Project, labeling them as land grabbing.
However, Gamawa dismissed this as a “baseless smear campaign,” insisting the project had boosted the state’s economy and created jobs.
“Tuggar’s comments show a fundamental misunderstanding of how large-scale agriculture drives economic growth,” he added.
The statement ended with a sharp rebuke of Tuggar’s leadership as Foreign Affairs Minister, calling his performance lackluster and his attacks on Bala Mohammed futile.
“It is high time Tuggar removed the log from his own eye before attempting to point out the speck in Bala Mohammed’s,” Gamawa concluded.
