Bala Mohammed


Bala Mohammed is Nigerian politician who is the Governor of Bauchi State. He was also Minister of Federal Capital Territory from 2010 to 2015; and a Senator from Bauchi State between 2007 to 2010. He is a leading member of the opposition People's Democratic Party.

Background

Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed was born on 5 October 1958 in Alkaleri. He attended University of Maiduguri, where he received a bachelors degree in English. In 1983, he joined The Democrat as a reporter, then joined the civil service as an administrative officer from 1984–2000.
He worked in several Federal Ministries including: Internal Affairs, Solid Minerals, Power and Steel and Transportation and Aviation. He retired as Director of Administration in the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. He then served as a senior special assistant to Governor Isa Yuguda from 2000 to 2005. He was Director of Administration at the Nigerian Railway Corporation from 2005 to 2007.

Senator

In April 2007, Mohammed was elected to the Senate representing Bauchi South Senatorial District under the All Nigeria People's Party. In March 2010, he accused Yuguda of being behind a move to recall him from the Senate. Mohammed was one of the first senators to support the controversial doctrine of necessity, which appointed then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as acting president to replace incapacitated Umaru Yar'Adua.

Politics

He reportedly fell out with political Governor Isa Yuguda after Yuguda married President Umaru Yar'Adua's daughter and decamped to the People's Democratic Party. Following the death of Umaru Yar'Adua, Mohammed joined the Peoples Democratic Party and became a close associate of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory

In 2010, he was appointed Minister of Federal Capital Territory and became a member of President Goodluck Jonathan's kitchen cabinet, serving in office until 2015. Kaura was alleged to have involved in extensive bribery and land racketeering. The successive FCT administration met depleted coffers.

Corruption

Shortly after leaving office, a vehicle belonging to Mohammed was found stacked with "billions of cash", which was claimed by his son. In 2016, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested Mohammed for financial crimes worth over N1.3 trillion, in FCT land racketeering and alleged role in the $2 billion arms deal. After becoming Governor of Bauchi in 2019, his corruption trial was suspended due to "constitutional provision that accords absolute immunity from criminal prosecution to an elected governor", making many believe he became governor in order to avoid prosecution. In 2020, Governor Bala Mohammed awarded a contract worth N3.6 billion to his own company.

Governor of Bauchi State

In 2018, Mohammed emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for Bauchi State. On 26 March 2019, Bala Mohammed received 515,113 votes defeating the incumbent Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar who received 500,625 votes.
On 29 May 2019, he was sworn in as Governor of Bauchi State at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi. His election was later upheld by the Supreme Court.