Governor Bala Mohammed plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday.
The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has indicated plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday.
The governor disclosed this on Tuesday while hosting an ADC delegation led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at the Government House in Bauchi.
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Speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with the guests, Governor Mohammed attributed his decision to quit the PDP to the protracted internal crisis in the party.
He stated that despite various interventions, all efforts at reconciliation were unsuccessful.
"We are very conscious of the timeline we are finalising this move by Thursday so that we can be able to be on the same page and not excluded from participation", Mr Muhammed stated
Why ADC and not APC?
Addressing speculation regarding a potential move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Mohammed said he and his team felt they were not wanted in the APC.
"We are not wanted in the APC because we are not being approached. We tried to get there, but certainly, most of the people around us prefer ADC and or other parties than APC," Mr Mohammed stated.
He further elaborated on the strategic choice of joining an opposition platform rather than the ruling party
"If they said we should go to the APC, we will go but I think the preference is to go to the opposition party", he stated.
"As of now, ADC appears to be a very welcoming and acceptable platform. However, we have not concluded discussions. We are engaging stakeholders to ensure we do not make mistakes," he added.
PDP crisis
Mr Mohammed also alleged that internal divisions within the PDP were being exacerbated by external influences, accusing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of contributing to the crisis.
He added that he had met with key stakeholders, including leaders of the APC and President Bola Tinubu, in efforts to resolve the impasse, but the situation remained unresolved.
Earlier, Mr Lawal said the ADC delegation was in Bauchi at the instance of the party's national leadership, under former Senate President David Mark, to invite the governor to join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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He said the move was part of a broader strategy to unite opposition forces and provide an alternative leadership for the country.
