Ola Wale
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has been holding talks with the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership, including National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda and Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, amid speculation of his possible defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting, which took place at the Government House in Bauchi, was reportedly aimed at persuading Mohammed to reconsider his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .
Mohammed had previously hosted a delegation from the ADC, led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who expressed the party’s readiness to welcome him. The governor cited the protracted crisis within the PDP as a key factor behind his planned defection, stating that efforts to reconcile aggrieved factions had failed.
The APC delegation’s visit to Bauchi suggests the ruling party is making a last-minute effort to persuade Mohammed to stay. However, Mohammed has indicated that he feels unwelcome in the APC, citing unsuccessful attempts to join the party.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Mohammed of engaging in desperate behind-the-scenes negotiations for political survival. Wike claimed Mohammed met with President Bola Tinubu three times to discuss defection terms, but the APC leadership refused to grant him concessions..
Mohammed has kept both the APC and ADC guessing about his next move, saying a final decision would be taken soon. The governor is expected to announce his decision today Thursday, April 2.
The ADC has mocked the APC over the meeting, describing it as a desperate attempt to retain Mohammed. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that the APC’s efforts are too late, and the ADC is rising.
Mohammed’s potential defection has sparked a war of words between him and Wike, with both leaders trading accusations over the PDP crisis. Wike described Mohammed’s planned exit as “good riddance to bad rubbish.
The outcome of Mohammed’s talks with the APC and ADC remains uncertain, with the governor’s next move likely to have significant implications for Nigerian politics.
