Plans by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress have hit a brick wall following a breakdown in negotiations over control of party structures.
Talks between the governor’s Turaki-led PDP faction and APC leaders ended in deadlock after the ruling party reportedly rejected a proposed 60–40 power-sharing formula in Bauchi State.
Despite the setback, Mohammed and his allies have signaled readiness to explore alliances with other political platforms, indicating that fresh options are already under consideration from the ward to the state level.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, the Chairman of the Turaki-led PDP faction, Sama’ila Burga, said the APC’s stance showed a lack of willingness to accommodate the PDP structure and the sitting government.
He revealed that the APC initiated the talks through the governor, with involvement from its national leadership and Abba Yusuf, who visited Bauchi in a bid to persuade Mohammed to join the party.
“This is how it has been done in other places where governors defected to APC. They rejected this formula and we have closed that discussion. You cannot expect a government bringing its structure from ward level to the state not to have control of the party,” Burga said.
Burga added, “We have called for this press conference at the instance of His Excellency, the Governor, who is leading the discussions.”
He further disclosed that after extensive consultations, the PDP faction resolved to halt the negotiations entirely.
“After careful consideration, it became clear that the conditions collectively advanced for such a political realignment were not accepted by the APC leadership. In light of this, we want to announce that the discussions have not yielded a conclusive outcome and are hereby formally discontinued,” he said.
The party, he noted, is now weighing alternative political pathways outside the APC.
“While we appreciate the outreach and engagement by the APC, we wish to state unequivocally that the process has now been brought to a close. Consequently, the PDP in Bauchi State, in consultation with His Excellency and other critical stakeholders, is actively considering all available political options other than the APC to determine the most suitable path forward in line with the aspirations and best interests of the people of Bauchi State,” he added.
