The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Allied Peoples Movement, citing unresolved internal crises within his former party.
Mohammed made the announcement on Saturday after a strategic meeting with political stakeholders, convened to assess the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling on the PDP’s leadership dispute and to chart a path forward.
Addressing journalists, the governor disclosed that he had spent over a week in Abuja consulting widely with party leaders and stakeholders in a bid to salvage the situation.
However, he noted that the court’s verdict, which invalidated parallel conventions held by rival factions, had significantly worsened uncertainty within the party.
“After careful consideration and wide consultations, it is evident that our efforts to stabilise the party have not achieved the desired outcome,” Mohammed said.
He explained that the judgment effectively left both factions without legal backing, with the party’s Board of Trustees temporarily overseeing its affairs, a development he described as destabilising.
While expressing gratitude to the PDP for shaping his political career, the governor emphasised that his decision to leave was driven by the need to ensure continuity in governance and provide a stable political platform for his supporters.
“We are not leaving out of bitterness,” he stated.
“We remain PDP at heart, but the current realities make it necessary for us to seek a more viable platform to continue delivering good governance.”
Mohammed described the APM as a credible alternative, free from the legal and structural challenges currently facing the PDP.
“After extensive consultations, we have taken a firm and strategic decision to join the Allied Peoples Movement,” he declared.
As part of the transition, the governor revealed that a compliance committee would be set up to guide the process, alongside the rollout of membership registration and formal disengagement of interested political appointees seeking elective positions.
Receiving the defectors, APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, welcomed Mohammed and his supporters, describing the party as one built on integrity and national interest.
“Our party stands for transparency, sacrifice and service to the Nigerian people,” Dantalle said. “We are pleased to receive the governor and his team into a platform that prioritises democratic values and inclusiveness.”
He further assured the new entrants of stability within the party, stressing that the APM operates strictly in line with its constitution and remains free of internal disputes.
The development marks a significant shift in Bauchi State’s political landscape, as Mohammed and his allies reposition ahead of future electoral contests.
