Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), citing the protracted leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.
Mohammed announced his defection on Saturday after a high-level meeting with political stakeholders, convened to deliberate on the implications of the recent Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment that nullified parallel conventions conducted by rival factions within the PDP.
The governor revealed that he had spent over a week in Abuja consulting with party leaders in a bid to salvage the situation but admitted that efforts to restore unity had failed.
He said the apex court’s ruling had effectively invalidated both factions’ claims to leadership, leaving the party’s Board of Trustees to temporarily oversee its affairs, a development he noted had deepened uncertainty within the PDP.
“After careful consideration and wide consultations with leaders and stakeholders across the country, it has become clear that our efforts to restore stability have not yielded the desired results,” Mohammed said.
While expressing gratitude to the PDP for providing him a platform for political growth, the governor stressed that his decision to leave was driven by the need to ensure continuity in governance and provide a stable political platform for his supporters.
“As responsible leaders, we cannot allow our people to be left without a credible and effective political platform,” he added.
Mohammed described his move to the APM as a strategic realignment, noting that the party offers a viable structure free from legal disputes.
He further disclosed that members of the State Executive Council aspiring to elective positions had resigned in compliance with relevant laws.
“We remain PDP at heart. We are leaving not out of bitterness, but out of necessity—to continue the struggle for good governance,” he stated.
The governor outlined steps to facilitate a smooth transition into the APM, including the setting up of a compliance committee, commencement of online membership registration, engagement with party leadership, and the inauguration of a committee to interface with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and united, describing the move as a deliberate effort to reposition politically rather than an act of desperation.
Meanwhile, National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, formally received Mohammed and his supporters into the party.
Dantalle described the APM as a “clean and democratic platform” guided by integrity and service, assuring the defectors of internal stability and adherence to the rule of law.
He also presented the governor with the party’s membership card and insignia, symbolising his official admission into the APM.
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