Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, is reportedly finalising plans to defect from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that could significantly reshape the political landscape ahead of future elections.
Multiple sources familiar with the negotiations said the Bauchi governor, who also serves as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is expected to formally announce his defection this week if ongoing discussions with the ruling party leadership are concluded.
According to insiders, Mohammed recently held talks with President Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders, where he reportedly expressed his intention to join the party.
Sources involved in the discussions revealed that the terms of his defection are still being negotiated, with the APC said to have offered him a senatorial ticket and benefits similar to those granted to other governors who previously defected to the ruling party.
However, the proposed arrangement reportedly differs from agreements reached with earlier defectors. Party insiders indicated that Mohammed may not be given full control of the APC structure in Bauchi State, a privilege granted to some governors who joined the party earlier.
One source said the president allegedly told the governor that while he could return to the Senate under the APC platform, he would not be allowed to nominate his successor as governor.
“Unlike the privileges extended to earlier defectors, Bala Mohammed cannot take over the entire APC structure in Bauchi. The best he may get is a senatorial ticket, but he will not decide who succeeds him,” the source said.
The development has reportedly caused shock and disappointment among some PDP members, particularly within the political camp of Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State.
Some party insiders expressed concern that the potential defection of the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum could weaken ongoing efforts to reposition the party.
Sources also suggested that the governor’s move may be linked to legal challenges facing Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, who is reportedly facing terrorism and money laundering charges involving about N4.6 billion.
In another reported condition tied to the negotiations, Mohammed was said to have been asked to apologise to Seyi Tinubu, son of the president, following a public criticism by the governor’s son during a palliative distribution exercise in Bauchi during Ramadan last year.
Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed had criticised Seyi Tinubu in March 2025 for distributing food items in Bauchi, urging instead that attention be given to sustainable empowerment initiatives such as job creation and business support.
Despite reportedly offering an apology, Mohammed is said to be pushing for greater influence over the political structure in Bauchi, including a proposed 60/40 arrangement in the state’s APC leadership.
Sources said he has also reached out to the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to help negotiate the arrangement with the president.
Meanwhile, the governor has reportedly scheduled a stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi this week as part of preparations for the possible political transition.
If Mohammed eventually defects, the number of governors under the APC would rise to 32, further strengthening the ruling party’s dominance across Nigeria’s states.
Currently, the PDP retains only a few governors, including Makinde, while other parties such as the Labour Party, led in Abia State by Alex Otti, the All Progressives Grand Alliance led in Anambra by Chukwuma Soludo, and the Accord Party in Osun State under Ademola Adeleke, continue to hold a smaller number of state governments.
