Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Allied Peoples Movement, citing unresolved internal crises within his former party.
Mohammed announced his defection on Saturday after a stakeholders’ meeting convened to review the implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership dispute.
Addressing journalists, the governor said he had spent days consulting widely with party leaders and stakeholders in a bid to resolve the lingering crisis but noted that the outcome of the apex court ruling had worsened the situation.
He explained that the judgment, which nullified parallel conventions conducted by rival factions, created uncertainty over the party’s leadership structure.
“After extensive consultations, it has become evident that our efforts to stabilise the party have not achieved the desired outcome,” he said.
The governor, who expressed gratitude to the PDP for providing him a political platform over the years, said the decision to leave was taken in the interest of governance and political stability.
“As responsible leaders, we cannot allow our people to remain without a viable political platform,” he added.
Mohammed described the Allied Peoples Movement as a credible alternative, noting that the party is free from legal encumbrances and offers a stable structure ahead of future elections.
He disclosed that members of the State Executive Council aspiring to elective offices had resigned in compliance with statutory provisions, while mechanisms had been put in place to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform.
The governor urged his supporters to remain calm and united, stressing that the move was a strategic repositioning rather than a reaction borne out of uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, formally received Mohammed and his loyalists into the party, describing the development as a significant boost.
He assured the new entrants of a level playing field, noting that the party operates in line with democratic principles and internal discipline.
Dantalle subsequently presented the governor with his membership card and party insignia, marking his official admission into the APM.
