Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Allied Peoples Movement, citing deepening leadership and legal crises within the opposition party.
Mohammed announced his defection on Saturday after what he described as extensive consultations with political stakeholders. He said Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling on the party’s leadership dispute marked a turning point.
Mohammed said the verdict left the PDP without clear legal and organisational direction, weakening its ability to function as a credible political platform.“The judgment has altered the political landscape,” Mohammed said. The Governor added that both rival factions had effectively lost legal standing, leaving the party’s Board of Trustees to oversee its affairs temporarily.
Mohammed said his decision to join the APM was aimed at ensuring political continuity and electoral success, describing the party as a viable platform free from legal encumbrances.“We cannot allow our people to be left without a credible and effective political platform,” he said.
The Bauchi Governor added that members of the state executive council seeking elective office had resigned in compliance with the law and that committees had been set up to manage the transition and liaise with electoral authorities.
APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle welcomed Mohammed into the party, describing it as a “clean democratic platform” guided by integrity and service.
Mohammed, while thanking the PDP for his political rise, said the decision to leave was driven by necessity rather than bitterness.
Meanwhile, the Sunday PUNCH reports that Governor of Southwest Nigerian state of Oyo Seyi Makinde is also preparing to leave the PDP amid the ongoing crisis. His spokesman denies any plans by the governor to defect.
A senior PDP figure in the South-West told the Newspaper that Makinde would leave the party “any moment from now,” while a cabinet member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the governor was weighing options ahead of a possible resignation.
An official in Makinde’s office said aspirants in Oyo had been directed not to obtain PDP nomination forms, with possible destinations including the APM or another party.
Nigeria’s electoral commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission, requires political parties to submit digital membership registers 21 days before primaries, with a May 30 deadline set for party primaries. This means potential defectors are expected to switch parties by May 9 to remain eligible to contest.