• The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party has worsened following indications that Bala Mohammed may defect to another party
• The Wike-backed bloc within the PDP loyal to Nyesom Wike has strongly criticised Bala Mohammed’s planned defection, describing it as “unfortunate”
• The bloc asked Mohammed to step down as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, alleging that his personal political ambitions have influenced party decisions and worsened internal divisions

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened, as a faction loyal to Nyesom Wike criticises the planned defection of Bala Mohammed to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The Wike-aligned bloc described the move as “unfortunate,” insisting that the Bauchi governor’s demands for reconciliation within the party were excessive and difficult to meet.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the PUNCH, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, through its spokesman Jungudo Mohammed, urged Bala Mohammed to step down as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

The party accused him of contributing to the lingering internal crisis due to personal interests.

The controversy follows a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, March 31, at the Bauchi Government House between the governor and an ADC delegation led by Babachir Lawal.

At the meeting, Mohammed revealed that the ADC had emerged as his preferred platform should he leave the PDP.

Addressing journalists after the closed-door session, the governor blamed the PDP’s prolonged crisis for his decision, noting that reconciliation efforts had failed.

“We have found ourselves in a very serious situation. I have done everything possible to ensure reconciliation, but it has not worked,” he said.

“We set up committees at both the national and state levels to explore all options, including even the All Progressives Congress, but sadly, we discovered that we are not welcome there.”

According to him, consultations are ongoing across political parties, but the ADC has proven to be the most receptive so far.

“As of now, the ADC appears to be a very welcoming and acceptable platform. However, we have not concluded discussions. We are engaging stakeholders to ensure we do not make mistakes,” he added.

The governor disclosed that a final decision on his political future would be announced soon.

“We are very conscious of the timeline. Everything will be concluded by Thursday so that we can move forward together. You will hear a firm commitment from us.”

Mohammed also alleged that external influences were worsening the PDP crisis, directly accusing Wike of playing a role.

He revealed that he had engaged key stakeholders, including members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu, but efforts to resolve the dispute proved unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Babachir Lawal explained that the ADC’s outreach to the Bauchi governor was part of a broader opposition strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said the party’s leadership, under former Senate President David Mark, was working to unite opposition forces.

“The task of rescuing Nigeria in 2027 requires the unity of all well-meaning Nigerians,” Lawal said.

Despite these developments, the PDP maintained that Mohammed failed to utilise available reconciliation opportunities and instead made unrealistic demands.

“Leadership is not always about leading; there are times when one must also follow,” Jungudo Mohammed stated.

“Perhaps the proposals he presented… were difficult to accommodate, as he may have made demands that were too extensive.”

He added that some of the governor’s requests, such as control over party structures in Bauchi and key NWC positions, were impractical.

“He has played a role in the current challenges within the PDP. His personal interests, to some extent, have also influenced the party’s internal dynamics.”

The spokesman further insisted that the governor should have resigned earlier from his position within the party leadership.

Kebbi PDP crisis deepens

In a related development, former PDP chieftain in Kebbi State, Abubakar Kalgo, accused the party of aligning with the ruling APC, claiming it had lost its identity as an opposition force.

Kalgo, who recently resigned, disclosed that members of the state executive committee were preparing to exit the party en masse.

“I can assure you that after the convention, the state executive committee unanimously agreed to leave the party because we discovered that the party had already been sold,” he said.

He explained that their participation in a convention backed by Wike was initially based on its perceived legality, but their confidence waned after Wike publicly endorsed President Tinubu.

“We were shocked when Wike openly endorsed President Tinubu… we later discovered that many… shared the same alignment.”

Kalgo stressed that such alignment undermines the role of an opposition party.

“As members of an opposition party, we cannot be working for or aligning with the ruling party. That defeats the whole essence of democracy.”

Makinde camp fires back at Fayose, Wike bloc

The crisis further escalated as an aide to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Dare Adeleke, criticised former Ekiti governor Ayo Fayose over remarks made at a Wike-backed convention in Abuja.

Fayose had predicted Makinde’s expulsion and declared Wike as the PDP’s national leader.

“Seyi Makinde will be expelled… our national leader is Nyesom Wike,” Fayose said.

Reacting, Adeleke dismissed the convention as illegitimate and Fayose’s comments as reckless.

“Fayose appears to believe that mere utterance transforms falsehood into fact,” he said.

He accused the Wike faction of undermining democratic norms and warned against sacrificing party principles under the guise of reconciliation.

“What logic dictates that a party should adopt its political opponent as its standard-bearer? That is not reconciliation; it is capitulation dressed in deception.”