Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said political permutation led to dropping of his deputy, Senator Baba Tela, as his running mate in the 2023 general elections.

The governor made this known during the valedictory State Executive Council meeting, on Thursday.

Before the dissolution of Council, he said, “Certainly, I don’t have any qualms with him (Tela), he is my brother even before we came here and he had been a friend. Nobody should go with the impression that we are not together; it is just the issue of political permutations and so on and so forth.

“This cabinet is the engine room of the administration, my deputy is here, even though I am not going with him for the second term but he is part and parcel of my administration because we are there in the same political party but it was permutations that left him out of the system,” he said

Mohammed had chosen the incumbent member representing Zaki Federal Constituency, HonAuwal Jatau, as his running mate in the election.

The governor told the appointees that they were wonderful in their service to the people in the last 4 years, adding,” Let us find it to forgive one another because there is no way we would not have offended one another. I have forgiven you, you too should find it in your hearts to forgive my shortcomings, they were done in the best interest of the state.” (Daily Trust)