Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar has said he cannot engage in financial competition with political opponents who allegedly have access to public funds, stressing that his political career and public service record have not been built around corruption or misuse of state resources.
Speaking during an interview on TVC News on Sunday, May 10, 2026, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed questions surrounding campaign financing and the growing influence of money in politics ahead of the Bauchi State governorship race.
Tuggar said political success should not necessarily be determined by the ability to outspend opponents, maintaining that his background in public office did not place him in a position associated with excessive financial resources. “The thing is not to match them. You don’t have to match them,” he said.
He explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he last served as minister, has historically faced funding challenges rather than surplus resources.
“Because again, we are very careful. I was, you can see that my ministry, where my last official position is not a ministry that is awash with funds,” Tuggar stated. “In fact, the complaint has always been the issue of funding of embassies, our missions abroad, and so forth, he added.
According to him, the nature of the ministry also limited opportunities linked to government contract awards, which he suggested often create avenues for financial abuse in public office. “So, and we don’t award contracts. Therefore, in terms of, clearly, and by nature, I’m not venal. I’m not a crook,” he said. “I’m not a corrupt person. Okay, you can see my track record,” he added.
The APC governorship aspirant said he could not compete financially with individuals who allegedly use public resources to strengthen political ambitions or shield themselves from possible investigations. “So I can’t compete with anybody that might go and have access to public funds and decide to deploy the public funds simply to get immunity from prosecution or whatever,” Tuggar said.
He also alleged that some politicians seek public office as a means of protection from scrutiny by authorities over the source of their wealth. “Because it seems this is becoming a trend. When you make money and you cannot really explain how you came about your funds, then the first thing you do, if the authorities are coming after you is to procure diplomacy,” he added….See More
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