Bala Mohammed says PDP defectors to APC are struggling politically and vows to keep the party united ahead of the 2027 elections

Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, has said that PDP governors and members who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are facing political difficulties after their defection.

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Speaking after inaugurating the PDP Convention Communication Sub-committee in Abuja on Saturday, Mohammed stated that while several party leaders had crossed over to the APC, PDP governors were quietly working to maintain unity within the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He noted that the association of figures such as former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, with the PDP shows Nigerians’ continuing faith in the party as a credible alternative.

In recent months, some PDP leaders have defected to the APC, including Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and the party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Reports also suggest that Enugu Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri may join the ruling party ahead of the PDP’s national convention in Ibadan scheduled for 15–16 November.

Expressing concern over the defections, Bala Mohammed said:

If you ask me whether I am concerned about our governors leaving for APC, I am more than concerned. But leadership is a burden. As a leader of a group of equal status, I cannot determine the decisions or inactions of my colleagues, but certainly, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes.

He accused the APC-led federal government of using state power to push Nigeria towards a **one-party system**, noting that some PDP governors were being pressured to defect.

“I cannot say my colleagues are wrong; they are free to do whatever they choose. But I have advised them that even those who left are not finding it easier because most of the people at the grassroots level are PDP and are not happy with the defections,” he said.

Mohammed emphasised that he remained firmly in the PDP and that Bauchi State was politically stable under the party’s control. He described the defections as political calculations rather than ideological shifts, urging those planning to leave to do so honourably.

He added that the upcoming national convention would present an opportunity to rebuild the PDP and produce credible leaders capable of challenging the APC in 2027.

“We have removed personal interests. We are united and will come up with leadership that will be the best choice for Nigerians to put in Aso Rock,” he said confidently.

The Bauchi Governor dismissed suggestions of internal crises, insisting that the PDP remained the most structured opposition party in Nigeria, with a functional National Working Committee, one National Chairman, and one National Secretary.

Mohammed further argued that many of the legal challenges facing the PDP were artificially created to weaken the party, but he expressed optimism that unity and public support would strengthen its position ahead of future elections.

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He concluded that the visible association of respected figures like Jonathan and Obi with the PDP was a sign that Nigerians still trust the party to deliver democratic change.