Months After Alleging Intimidation To Dump PDP, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed Reportedly Finalises Ridiculous Agreements With Tinubu To Join APC On Tuesday

Governor of Bala Mohammed is reportedly planning to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress this week after holding discussions with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a move that has sparked disappointment within the camp of Seyi Makinde in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Investigations revealed that the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum has concluded plans to join the APC, barring unforeseen circumstances, although the terms of his defection were still being negotiated as of last night.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said Mohammed was offered an APC senatorial ticket and would receive the allowances given to other governors who had joined the ruling party. According to the sources, the Bauchi governor disclosed his intention to join the political family during a meeting with Tinubu and the APC leadership.

One of the sources said the planned defection may not be unconnected with the challenges facing his Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, who is facing terrorism charges and a money-laundering case involving about ₦4.6 billion. The commissioner was also said to have threatened to implicate the governor if he was not released from custody.

It was further learnt that the ruling party imposed conditions on Mohammed that differ from the arrangements previously offered to other governors who defected to the APC.

Sources close to the camp of Governor Seyi Makinde in the PDP expressed shock and disappointment over the development, questioning how a governor who led the PDP governors could abandon the party.

According to sources familiar with the talks, when Mohammed met with Tinubu to conclude his defection plans, the former Lagos goveror reportedly told him it would be difficult to hand over the APC structure in Bauchi State to him as had been done for other governors.

Tinubu was also said to have explained why the party’s structure in the state would not be transferred to the Bauchi governor. Another source said Tinubut told him the most he could receive was support to return to the Senate, but he would not be allowed to nominate his successor.

“Unlike the privileges extended to earlier defectors, Bala Mohammed cannot get the full APC structure in Bauchi. They told him the best he could get is his ticket to the Senate, since he is nursing that ambition, but he cannot nominate his successor,” the source said.

Sources also said Mohammed was asked to apologise to  Seyi Tinubu, over an incident last year involving the governor’s son.

Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed had reportedly criticised Seyi Tinubu in March 2025 after he distributed food items to residents of Bauchi during Ramadan. Shamsudeen had urged him to focus instead on sustainable empowerment such as job training and business support.

However, Mohammed was said to have apologised to Tinubu’s son as part of efforts to finalise his move to the APC, though he was reportedly uncomfortable with some of the other conditions.

According to a source, the governor wanted a role in determining his successor because of concerns about his political legacy. He was said to have approached the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to help persuade Tinubu to consider a 60/40 structure-sharing arrangement in Bauchi State.

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Although it was unclear whether the APC chairman had succeeded in the effort, Mohammed was said to have taken further steps in his defection plan by convening a stakeholders’ meeting in the state this week while awaiting the Tinubu’s response.

The development has reportedly angered members of the PDP aligned with Governor Makinde, who described the move as a betrayal of ongoing efforts to reconcile the party and rebuild its strength.

If Mohammed eventually joins the APC, the number of governors in the party will rise to 32. The PDP currently has Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, while the Labour Party has Alex Otti. The All Progressives Grand Alliance is led by Chukwuma Soludo in Anambra, while the Accord Party has Ademola Adeleke.