A heated altercation broke out at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on Friday, involving the state’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. The incident occurred during the turbaning of former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate.

According to eyewitnesses, the clash ensued after Tuggar reportedly made disparaging comments about the Bala Mohammed-led administration, which Jatau allegedly found offensive. “The Deputy Governor was visibly furious. It was a shocking moment. If not for Vice President Shettima’s swift intervention, it could have escalated badly,” a source said.

The altercation is believed to be a continuation of the long-standing political rift between Tuggar and Governor Bala Mohammed. Tuggar had earlier accused the governor of using President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms to kickstart his 2027 presidential ambition.

In a January appearance on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, Tuggar had 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.”

Reacting to the comments, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Aminu Gamawa, described Tuggar’s comments as “opportunistic and undiplomatic,” accusing him of seeking to curry favours from the Tinubu administration. “Tuggar’s ambition to run for governor in 2027 is the real reason behind these constant attacks. But maligning a performing governor won’t help him,” Gamawa said.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Bauchi State Government nor the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued an official statement on the matter.