The political relevance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be further diminished as Governor Bala Mohammed, chairman of the party’s governors’ forum, is reportedly finalizing plans to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) this week, barring unforeseen circumstances, according to investigative reports by THISDAY.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Mohammed has been offered an APC senatorial ticket and the allowances extended to other governors who recently defected.
The governor reportedly disclosed his intention to join the party during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu and APC leadership, although the party has imposed conditions different from those offered to prior defectors.
The move is said to be partly influenced by legal troubles faced by his Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, who is reportedly facing terrorism and money laundering charges involving approximately N4.6 billion.
Adamu allegedly threatened to implicate the governor if not released, sources indicated.
While some APC officials are negotiating the terms, sources within the PDP, particularly Governor Seyi Makinde’s camp, expressed shock and disappointment.
They criticised Mohammed for undermining the party he once led and contributing to its struggles through his hardline stance over the years.
Negotiations reportedly included discussions over control of the APC state structure.
President Bola Tinubu allegedly informed Mohammed that, unlike early defectors, he would not gain full control over the Bauchi APC structure, and his only guaranteed benefit would be the Senate ticket.
Furthermore, he was reportedly instructed to apologise to Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, following a prior incident in which Mohammed’s son criticized Seyi for distributing Ramadan palliatives in Bauchi State.
Mohammed is said to have complied with the apology but remains concerned about his succession plans.
In further developments, Mohammed convened a stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi this week, seeking approval for a 60/40 arrangement for party structure sharing.
The PDP camp has described his actions as a betrayal of the ongoing efforts to rescue the party’s fortunes, warning that his departure could signal a further weakening of opposition influence in Nigeria.
If Mohammed formally joins the APC, the ruling party’s number of governors will rise to 32.
Meanwhile, the PDP would retain only Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State, the Labour Party (LP) will have Alex Otti of Abia State, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord Party will hold Governorships in Anambra State and Osun State, respectively.
