BALA Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State, on Wednesday hosted members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives from the state, in what appears to be a significant step in ongoing political realignments.
News Point Nigeria reports that the meeting took place at the governor’s residence in Abuja, coming amid growing indications of his planned exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Dabo Ismail, who represents Toro Federal Constituency, explained that the governor convened the session as part of consultations with stakeholders ahead of a possible defection to the ruling party.
“We are here on a special invitation to discuss the ongoing political realignment in Nigeria, particularly in Bauchi State, and to address key issues affecting the development of our state. We have reached some positive conclusions,” he said.
“By the grace of God, we will make our position known in the coming days. In the meantime, we will continue consultations and engage critical stakeholders. We will brief them on the outcome of this meeting.
“We also hope his excellency will give due consideration to the issues presented by the leadership of our party and other key stakeholders,” Ismail added.
The latest development follows a series of high-level political engagements by the governor in recent days.
On April 1, Mohammed received Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the APC, alongside Abba Yusuf, at the Government House in Bauchi.
A day before that meeting, the governor, while hosting members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), disclosed that he had considered joining the APC together with his supporters.
However, he noted at the time that the ruling party was not open to accommodating him, adding that the ADC remained a preferred platform for him and his political allies.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, stakeholders of the APC in Bauchi State called on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to involve them in ongoing negotiations before any decision is taken on admitting the governor into the party.
The series of consultations underscores intensifying political maneuvering in Bauchi State as alignments ahead of future elections continue to take shape.
