THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, on Wednesday held a crucial closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, at the Government House in Bauchi, in what appears to be a high-stakes political move aimed at influencing the governor’s next steps ahead of the 2027 general elections.
News Point Nigeria reports that Yilwatda, who arrived in Bauchi alongside Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, met with Mohammed amid intensifying speculation that the Bauchi governor may soon defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Although the meeting was held behind closed doors and no official statement was issued afterwards, sources within the Government House indicated that the visit may be part of last-minute efforts by the ruling APC to persuade Mohammed to reconsider his reported alignment with the ADC.
The APC delegation’s visit came less than 24 hours after Governor Mohammed hosted a high-profile delegation of the ADC led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.
During that meeting, Mohammed openly acknowledged the deepening crisis within the PDP, which he chairs as head of the PDP Governors’ Forum, stating that reconciliation efforts had failed despite multiple interventions.
“We have found ourselves in a very serious situation. I have done everything possible to ensure reconciliation, but it has not worked,” the governor said.
He revealed that consultations had been ongoing with several political platforms but noted that the ADC had so far emerged as the most welcoming and viable option.
“As of now, ADC appears to be a very welcoming and acceptable platform. However, we have not concluded discussions,” he added.
Despite the APC’s apparent outreach, Mohammed suggested that his camp had not felt sufficiently welcomed by the ruling party, a factor that has influenced their current political calculations.
“We are not wanted in the APC because we are not being approached. We tried to get there, but certainly, our antecedents will connect most of the people around us, preferring ADC or other parties,” he said.
However, he left the door slightly open, indicating that a shift in APC’s approach could alter the equation.
“If they open up and say we should come to the APC, we will go, but for now, the preference is to move to the opposition party,” Mohammed stated.
The APC’s intervention is widely interpreted as an attempt to retain or win over a key northern political figure whose defection could significantly reshape alliances, particularly in the North-East.
The ADC, on the other hand, has been actively courting influential politicians across party lines as part of a broader strategy to consolidate opposition forces and present a formidable challenge to the ruling party.
With consultations still ongoing, Mohammed has indicated that a final decision on his political future will be made soon.