By Sandra Ugwu

BAUCHI — In a significant political shift with implications for the 2027 general elections, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

The governor announced his defection on Saturday at the Government House in Bauchi, during a ceremony attended by top government officials, party stakeholders, and the APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle. The move also included loyalists aligned with a faction of the PDP.

Describing the decision as “firm and strategic,” Mohammed said it followed wide consultations with political associates and stakeholders across the state. He explained that the switch was driven by the need to reposition politically ahead of the next general elections.

According to him, remaining in the PDP no longer guarantees the unity and structure required to achieve his administration’s objectives. He stressed that the move to the APM would provide a more viable platform to mobilise supporters and secure electoral success in 2027.

“We cannot allow our people to be left without a credible and effective political platform,” the governor stated, noting that leadership demands both direction and political foresight.

Mohammed’s defection represents a major setback for the PDP, where he previously served as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, making him one of the party’s influential figures nationwide.

Despite his exit, the governor expressed gratitude to the PDP for the role it played in his political career, particularly in providing the platform through which he was elected governor in 2019.

In a symbolic induction ceremony, Dantalle officially welcomed Mohammed into the APM, presenting him with the party’s membership card and flag.

The defection follows a closed-door stakeholders’ meeting where the decision was finalised, marking a new phase in Bauchi’s political landscape as alignments begin to shift ahead of 2027.