Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
The governor announced his defection on Saturday after a high-level meeting with political stakeholders. The gathering was convened to assess the fallout from the recent Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment on the PDP’s leadership crisis and to chart a way forward.
Mohammed revealed that he had spent the past eight days in Abuja consulting widely with key figures in a bid to resolve the party’s internal disputes. However, he noted that the apex court’s ruling—which nullified parallel conventions held by rival PDP factions—had significantly reshaped the political terrain.
According to him, the verdict effectively stripped both factions of legitimacy, leaving the party’s Board of Trustees to temporarily manage its affairs, while uncertainty deepened.
“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.
While expressing gratitude to the PDP for his political rise, Mohammed stressed that the decision to leave was driven by the need to ensure effective governance and political continuity.
“However, as responsible leaders, we cannot allow our people to be left without a credible and effective political platform,” he stated.
Explaining his move to the APM, the governor described the party as a stable and viable alternative without legal complications, positioning it as a platform for future electoral success.
“We remain PDP at heart. We are leaving not out of bitterness, but out of necessity—to continue the struggle for good governance,” the governor said.
“Consequently, after extensive consultations, we have taken a firm and strategic decision to join the Allied Peoples Movement.”
To facilitate the transition, Mohammed announced key steps, including setting up a compliance committee, launching online membership registration, formal resignations for aspirants, and engagement with APM leadership, alongside a liaison committee with the electoral body.
He urged his supporters to remain calm and united, describing the move as a deliberate and strategic repositioning.
Meanwhile, APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, formally welcomed the governor and his supporters into the party, describing it as a “clean, democratic party” guided by the motto “Nigeria First.”
Dantalle praised Mohammed’s leadership and highlighted the party’s growing grassroots strength, assuring new members of internal stability and strict adherence to its constitution.
The chairman subsequently presented Mohammed with his membership card and party insignia, symbolising his formal entry into the APM.
