Defection: APC, ADC Battle For Governor Bala Mohammed

…Wike accuses governor of inconsistency

BY CHIBUZO UKAIBE, IGHO OYOYO, Abuja and KHALID IDRIS DOYA, Bauchi

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) are locked in a battle of who succeeds in wooing the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed to join its fold.

The tussle came to a head yesterday when the APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, led a delegation to visit Governor Mohammed, who had on Tuesday hinted about his move to ADC today.

Reacting shortly after the visit yesterday, the ADC national publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the APC meeting with the governor as a show of desperation.

He told LEADERSHIP that the governor won’t join the ruling party which destroyed his party, PDP.

Earlier yesterday, the Yilwatda-led delegation, which also included Kano state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, held a closed-door meeting with the governor at the Bauchi State Government House for some minutes.

However, they declined to disclose details of their discussions to journalists after the meeting. Also, no official communication from the government has been made on the meeting.

However, it is believed the APC delegation came to Bauchi to persuade Governor Mohammed to reconsider his earlier decision to join the ADC and instead defect to the ruling party.

Reacting however, the ADC spokesman, Abdullahi, said visit shows that APC is in panic mode.

He said, “It confirms desperation. They are panicking. But H.E Bala Muhammed is a man of principle. He will not join a party that destroyed his own party.”

When asked if the governor had given confirmation to join ADC, Abdullahi said “Yes”

The development follows the Governor Bala’s recent declaration of his intention to leave the PDP, where he currently serves as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

On Tuesday, Governor Bala announced his his intention to leave the PDP, where he currently serves as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, revealed that his political camp was considering towards the ADC after exploring multiple options, including the APC.

He made the disclosure while receiving an ADC delegation led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, at the Ramat House in Bauchi.

Wike Accuses Bala Mohammed Of Dishonesty, Inconsistency

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, of being dishonest and politically inconsistent.

Wike said this yesterday while speaking with journalists after inspecting ongoing road projects in Jahi and Kuje, where he also expressed satisfaction with the progress of infrastructure works slated for commissioning to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office.

In a direct response to recent allegations from Governor Mohammed that he was planted to destroy PDP, Wike dismissed the claim as baseless, attributing it to what he called the governor’s unstable political character.

“It is very embarrassing. He says one thing in the morning, in the afternoon he says a different thing. But for us, we are very happy that he has told Nigerians who he is, that he’s never been stable,” he said.

The FCT minister further revealed details of past interactions with Governor Mohammed, alleging that the Bauchi chief executive had privately sought his cooperation on key political matters before later changing course.

According to Wike, ahead of the party’s recent national convention, Mohammed approached him with a demand to produce the PDP National Secretary, a request he said was declined.

“You are already conquered, you lost. You are talking from a weak point and you want to demand Secretary? That is not done,” Wike stated, mocking the governor’s push for the position on behalf of his faction.

Wike also recalled an incident in 2022, claiming that Mohammed had urged him to support President Tinubu, who was then the APC presidential candidate, only to backtrack days later.

He cited the episode as further proof of the governor’s inconsistency.

Despite the ongoing political feud, Wike reaffirmed his own political stance, insisting he remains a member of the PDP while maintaining his support for the President, a position he said he has never hidden.

“I have made it clear, I will not leave the PDP, but I will continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That has always been my position, since 2022. I didn’t hide. Unlike those who will say one thing in the morning and say another in the afternoon,” Wike declared.

Amid the war of words, the ninister took a moment to tout the success of the PDP’s recent national convention, which he said had confounded critics who had predicted the party’s collapse.

“The convention has shown that the PDP is alive and kicking. Yes, there are one or two issues, but that is normal and we will fix them,” he said.