Gov Bala Mohammed Set to Defect to APC on Tuesday Amid PDP Crisis

By Tgnews Reporter

Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, is poised to formally join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, following intensive negotiations with President Bola Tinubu and APC leadership.

Multiple reliable sources, including reports from THISDAY, confirm that Mohammed has finalized plans for the defection, which is expected to take place at a high-profile ceremony attended by key APC figures.

The move comes after weeks of discussions, during which the APC reportedly agreed to a 60/40 power-sharing arrangement in Bauchi State and offered Mohammed the party’s senatorial ticket for future elections.

However, a key sticking point remains unresolved: Mohammed’s desire to influence the nomination of his successor as governor. President Tinubu has reportedly insisted that control of the APC structure in Bauchi be handed over to the party’s central leadership rather than any individual, citing the state’s strategic importance and competing interests from prominent figures such as Minister of Health Ali Pate, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, and oil executive Bala Wunti—all of whom have expressed governorship ambitions.

If the defection proceeds as planned, it will boost the APC’s tally of sitting governors to 32, leaving the PDP with just one—Oyo State’s Seyi Makinde while other opposition parties like Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Accord hold one each.

The development deals another blow to the PDP, which is grappling with a deepening internal crisis.

Ahead of scheduled reconciliation talks between factions loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the Tanimu Turaki-led group, the Wike-aligned National Caretaker Committee has outlined two non-negotiable conditions: the March 29 national convention must proceed as scheduled, and no new caretaker committee should be established, as one already exists.

National Publicity Secretary of the Wike group, Haruna Mohammed, emphasized that both sides should present written conditions to the talks, with each delegation limited to ten members, to prevent misrepresentations.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu noted ongoing discussions to soften positions but confirmed no truce has been reached yet. Meanwhile, PDP chieftain Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse downplayed the party’s challenges, arguing that internal disputes do not signal its end and that PDP remains Nigeria’s strongest opposition force.

Founding PDP member Sule Lamido, speaking at a Ramadan Iftar in Jigawa State, urged stakeholders to unite behind the Wike-backed caretaker structure, describing Wike as a strategic leader who stepped in to prevent a leadership vacuum after the previous National Working Committee’s tenure expired.

Lamido stressed that unity and reconciliation are essential to preserve the party’s relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.