By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Taraba
An unexpected political drama played out in Bauchi on Friday when the state’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, allegedly slapped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a high-profile event at the Emir’s Palace.
The incident reportedly occurred during the turbaning ceremony of former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, who was being honoured as Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate. The ceremony coincided with the wedding of Abubakar’s daughter, drawing top dignitaries including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.
Eyewitnesses said the altercation stemmed from remarks made by Minister Tuggar which were perceived as offensive to the Bala Mohammed-led administration in Bauchi. According to one source, “The Deputy Governor didn’t take kindly to the Foreign Minister’s comments. The slap happened so fast, and if not for Vice President Shettima, the situation could have spiraled out of control.”
The clash appears to be the latest flare-up in the ongoing political feud between Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed. Tuggar, a known critic of the state’s PDP-led administration, had previously accused the governor of leveraging President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms to launch an early bid for the 2027 presidency.
Speaking earlier in the year on Channels Television, Tuggar said, “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 at the time, Aminu Gamawa, Chief of Staff to the Governor, dismissed the Minister’s comments as “opportunistic and undiplomatic,” adding that Tuggar was merely positioning himself ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
“His ambition is clear. He wants to be governor, and he’s doing everything to discredit a performing government. But he should focus on his foreign affairs duties, where his performance has been underwhelming,” Gamawa stated.
As at press time, neither the Bauchi State Government nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a formal response to the reported altercation, but the incident has already stirred strong reactions among political observers and residents.
A local analyst described the event as “an embarrassment to the state,” calling on both leaders to “put the people above personal pride and ambition.”