Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Allied Peoples Movement, citing leadership and legal uncertainties within the opposition party.
Mohammed announced the move Saturday after consultations with political stakeholders, pointing to a recent Supreme Court ruling that nullified parallel conventions held by rival factions of the PDP. He said the judgment left the party without clear legal or organizational direction.
“The verdict has fundamentally altered the political landscape,” Mohammed said, adding that both factions had lost legal standing, leaving the party’s Board of Trustees to oversee affairs temporarily.
The defection comes as Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, is reportedly preparing to leave the PDP amid escalating internal disputes. Party sources said Makinde has instructed aspirants in the state not to obtain PDP nomination forms and is considering alternative platforms, including the APM and the National Democratic Coalition.
Makinde’s spokesperson denied that the governor had confirmed any defection plans.
Mohammed and Makinde are aligned with a faction led by Tanimu Turaki , whose 2025 convention in Ibadan was invalidated by the court. A rival bloc backed by Nyesom Wike , minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has since asserted control of the party.
Under guidelines from the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties must submit membership registers at least 21 days before primaries, with May 30 set as the deadline. Prospective defectors must switch parties by May 9 to remain eligible to contest.
Mohammed said his move to the APM was aimed at ensuring political continuity and electoral viability. He described the party as free of legal disputes and pledged to work with its leadership to integrate his supporters.
“We are leaving not out of bitterness, but out of necessity,” he said.
APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle welcomed Mohammed and his supporters, describing the party as stable and committed to democratic principles. He said the APM remains competitive and free of internal crises.
