Bala Mohammed Halts Defection Plan to APC Over Power Sharing Dispute

Bala Mohammed Halts Defection Plan to APC Over Power Sharing Dispute

Plans by Bala Mohammed to leave the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress have stalled after negotiations between both sides broke down over disagreements on control of party structures in Bauchi State.

Talks involving the governor’s camp, led by the Turaki faction of the PDP, and APC leaders reportedly ended without agreement after the ruling party declined a proposed 60–40 sharing formula for political control in the state.

The formula, according to sources within the PDP bloc, would have allowed the governor’s structure to retain majority influence from ward to state level following the defection.

Speaking to journalists in Bauchi on Saturday, the chairman of the Turaki-led PDP faction, Sama’ila Burga, confirmed that discussions had been discontinued after failing to reach common ground.

He explained that the APC had initiated contact through the governor, with involvement from its national leadership and even outreach efforts that included the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, who visited Bauchi as part of persuasion efforts.

However, Burga said the negotiations collapsed when the APC rejected the proposed sharing arrangement, which he claimed had been applied in similar political realignments elsewhere.

“This is how it has been handled in other states where sitting governors defected. But in this case, the proposal was turned down, and we have decided to end the conversation,” he said.

He argued that it would be unreasonable for a sitting government to move into a new party without retaining significant control of its political machinery.

Following the breakdown, the PDP faction announced it would begin exploring other political platforms, ruling out further engagement with the APC for now.

“After wide consultations, it became clear that the conditions we collectively presented were not acceptable. As a result, the discussions have not produced any agreement and have been formally brought to a close,” Burga added.

He noted that the governor and his allies remain open to political realignment, but would now consider alternatives that better reflect their expectations and the interests of their supporters across the state.