By Gloria Ikibah
Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed has formally left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)and joined the Allied Peoples Movement, marking a significant political shift after weeks of behind-the-scenes consultations.
The move follows growing uncertainty within the PDP, sparked by a recent Supreme Court ruling on the party’s protracted leadership dispute. The governor’s decision came after a meeting with key political figures, where attention was centred on the implications of the judgment and the direction of his political future. 
In the days leading up to the announcement, Mohammed had been in Abuja engaging with prominent stakeholders in an effort to steady the party. However, the combination of internal divisions and legal complications appears to have reshaped the landscape.
The court’s decision, which invalidated parallel conventions organised by opposing factions and sent the matter back to a lower court, has left the PDP grappling with both structural and legal uncertainty, prompting the governor’s departure.
“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,” he said.
The Bauchi governor emphasised that his decision was not driven by sentiment but by political necessity, adding that governance and electoral readiness required a more stable platform.
He portrayed the Allied Peoples Movement as a credible and legally stable platform, suggesting that the switch was intended to secure continuity in governance while maintaining political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.
The governor also disclosed that members of his State Executive Council seeking elective office had stepped down in line with electoral guidelines. While acknowledging the role the Peoples Democratic Party had played in his political journey, he indicated that the decision to leave was taken with his supporters and the wider political climate in mind.
“We remain PDP at heart. We are leaving not out of bitterness, but out of necessity—to continue the struggle for good governance,” he said.
Mohammed went on to unveil transition committees tasked with overseeing the defection process, including the registration of new members into the APM, engagement with party leadership and coordination with the Independent National Electoral Commission. He appealed to his supporters to stay calm and united, describing the move as a strategic repositioning rather than a reaction to crisis.
In welcoming the governor, APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle characterised the development as a significant gain for the party, commending Mohammed’s leadership record and democratic credentials.
Dantalle emphasised that the party is built on principles of integrity and national development, noting that it remains free of internal disputes and open to new members.
He subsequently handed over the governor’s membership card and party insignia, formalising his entry into the APM. The development is expected to influence political alignments as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace.
