There was a dramatic scene at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on Friday when Deputy Governor Auwal Jatau reportedly slapped Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated exchange.
As reported by Daily Post, the incident occurred during the turbaning ceremony of former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar as Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate, which also coincided with the wedding of his daughter, Khadija Mohammed.
The event, attended by prominent political figures including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, took a tense turn when the altercation broke out.
Eyewitnesses claim that the Foreign Minister made critical remarks about the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed, which the Deputy Governor reportedly found deeply offensive.
A source present at the scene described the Deputy Governor as visibly enraged, noting that the situation could have escalated further if Vice President Shettima had not intervened quickly.
The confrontation is said to stem from a longstanding political rivalry between Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed.
Tuggar has been a vocal critic of the PDP-led government in Bauchi and previously accused the governor of using President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms to further his 2027 presidential ambitions.
In January, during an appearance on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, Tuggar stated, “Governor Bala Mohammed showed clearly that he did not have any sincerity of purpose. He used the tax bill debate to jumpstart his presidential campaign.”
Responding to these remarks, Governor Mohammed’s Chief of Staff, Aminu Gamawa, called Tuggar’s comments “opportunistic and undiplomatic,” accusing the Foreign Minister of attempting to win favor from the Tinubu administration.
Gamawa further claimed that Tuggar’s criticisms were driven by his ambitions to run for governor in 2027, adding that undermining a successful governor would not aid his cause.
He also criticized Tuggar’s alleged lack of involvement in his foreign affairs role, which he argued had weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic influence in Africa.
As of the time of writing, there has been no official statement from either the Bauchi State Government or the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the incident.
