The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said his problem with the governor of his home state of Bauchi, Mohammed Abubakar, is because Abubakar is failing to fulfill promises made to the people of the state.

Dogara, who stated this in a chat on Tuesday with journalists in Abuja said he would not take sides with the governor against the people.

The speaker said he would not want to be associated with a failure due to the “political sophistication” of the state.

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He said, “What bothers me is the people that we sold this agenda to, and I know how politically sophisticated Bauchi State is, it is one of the most politically sophisticated states in Nigeria. Since 2007 you can hardly rig elections in Bauchi, if you win elections in Bauchi, you have won it.

“You can imagine the sitting 2007 governor who wanted to be a senator and he didn’t win. He won in only one local government out of seven.

“So, for us who are members of the political class, that is like a red flag warning that you must perform. Even though I will never engage in confrontation towards the governor; I will never support a situation where we are not delivering the goods,” he said.

He added, “That is just where the problem is, it doesn’t matter. Anybody who is delivering, who is fulfilling is my wonderful person, but if you are not doing that, I cannot be party to it, so that when the destruction comes as it is certain to come, I’ll be excluded, so that you know that it was not with your consent that this thing happened,” he said.

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Reacting to the speaker’s claim, Gov. Abubakar through his spokesperson, Sabo Mohammed, Abubakar said Dogara was not in touch with happenings in the state.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Mohammed, said top government officials in the state are now convinced that the speaker was the brain behind the poor relationship between Governor Abubakar and members of the National Assembly.

“How can somebody who absconded from his home state comment on happenings there?”

“We are really not surprised because the governor has been saying for a long time that most of these legislators (from Bauchi) are not in touch with the reality and they’re not in touch with their respective constituencies. I’m happy the speaker has said this unequivocally.

“If the speaker and the rest of his co-travellers are in tune with what’s happening in Bauchi, they would not have the moral ground to criticise the governor in his effort to redeem the lost glory of Bauchi,” he said.

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Dogara however, denied being on political exile, saying “I can go home any day, anytime that I like.  I went home in December and very soon I am going home.

“So, I want to use this medium to announce to everybody that I am going home; so, those who think I am already on political exile, that is not the case at all.

“You need to fulfil your obligations to members and work closely with your constituency, but it’s something that is always in my mind.

“My constituents are very close to me and I am close to them even though I can’t be there every day. Otherwise I won’t be the Speaker, the Speaker has so many other responsibilities,” he said.