The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), marking a major shift in Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mohammed announced his defection on Saturday at the Government House in Bauchi, accompanied by loyalists aligned with the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP. The event was attended by the APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, alongside other party stakeholders and government officials.
Speaking at the gathering, the 67-year-old governor said the decision followed “extensive consultation” and was driven by the need to reposition politically ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“After extensive consultation, we have taken a firm and strategic decision to join the Allied Peoples Movement (APM),” Mohammed declared. “This is guided by one overriding objective: to secure victory in our state and continue to serve our people with utmost integrity.”
He explained that the move was necessary to provide a viable political platform for his supporters as the 2027 elections approach, stressing that leadership requires both direction and preparedness.
“With the elections drawing closer, we cannot allow our people to be stranded without a credible and effective political platform,” he added.
Despite his exit, Mohammed expressed gratitude to the PDP, the party under which he was elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, acknowledging its role in his political journey and contributions to governance.
“It has been a platform through which we have served our people and contributed to national development. We remain grateful for the opportunities it provided,” he said.
During the ceremony, Dantalle formally received the governor into the APM, presenting him with the party’s membership card and branded cap, symbolising his official entry into the party.
“I welcome you into the party,” Dantalle said. “This membership card qualifies you fully as a member of the Allied Peoples Movement.”
Mohammed’s defection followed a closed-door expanded stakeholders’ meeting and effectively ends months of speculation regarding his political future amid internal crises within the PDP.
Until his departure, he served as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, making his exit a significant blow to the party’s structure. His move also leaves Seyi Makinde as one of the last prominent PDP governors before further potential realignments.
Political observers note that Mohammed had previously engaged in consultations with leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), though those talks did not materialise into a defection.
A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2010 and 2015, Mohammed’s latest move signals a recalibration of alliances that could reshape political dynamics in Bauchi State and beyond as the 2027 elections draw nearer.
