A fresh political rift has emerged between the families of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, as their sons engage in a heated exchange over their fathers’ potential 2027 presidential bids.
Mohammed Abubakar, son of Atiku and a member of his presidential campaign team, accused Governor Mohammed of never genuinely supporting Atiku during the 2019 and 2023 elections.
He also claimed that the governor’s own presidential ambitions were contributing to the ongoing discord within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This response came after Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed, the governor’s son, criticized Atiku, stating that his father would not back the former vice president in future elections.
Shamsudeen alleged that Atiku undermined Governor Mohammed’s re-election campaign by siding with opposition forces and using influential figures in Bauchi to challenge his father’s political base.
According to Shamsudeen, “Atiku didn’t support us in 2023. Instead, he backed the APC candidate and turned the political elite in Bauchi against us. We barely made it through.”
In response, Atiku’s son dismissed these claims, stating that Atiku never interfered in Governor Mohammed’s political affairs.
He further suggested that the Bauchi governor may have been quietly collaborating with the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Bola Tinubu.
“Atiku’s political stance has always been focused on national development, not personal rivalries,” Mohammed Abubakar said. “The challenges Governor Mohammed faced during the last election were internal, not caused by Atiku.”
He added that Governor Mohammed has never truly supported Atiku and even worked against the PDP’s presidential ticket in 2023—a claim supported by similar accusations from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
According to him, the governor’s presidential aspirations have weakened his leadership of the PDP Governors’ Forum and undermined unity within the party.
He concluded by advising Shamsudeen to steer away from divisive rhetoric and engage in more meaningful political discourse that contributes to national progress.