Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has claimed that governors and other PDP members who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are facing political difficulties following their departure.
Speaking on Saturday during the inauguration of the PDP Convention Communication Sub-Committee in Abuja, Mohammed said the party’s governors are working behind the scenes to maintain unity and rebuild ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“If you ask me whether I am concerned about our governors leaving for APC, I am more than concerned,” he said. “But leadership is a burden. As a leader of equals, I cannot dictate my colleagues’ choices. Still, much is being done behind the scenes.”
He accused the APC-led federal government of attempting to establish a one-party state, using state power to coerce opposition figures.
Mohammed noted that despite defections, grassroots support for the PDP remains strong, and many who left are not finding it easy politically.
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“Most of the people at the grassroots level are PDP and are not happy with the defections. Even today, I saw in the news that one of my senators is going. They are being controlled and bought, but my state remains PDP,” he said.
Several PDP leaders have recently defected to the ruling APC, including Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and former vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa. Reports also suggest that Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa) may follow ahead of the party’s national convention in November.
Mohammed urged those planning to leave the party to do so without damaging its image, stating that their exit would create space for new, capable leaders.
He also addressed internal legal disputes, noting that attempts to block the convention are undermining party unity.
“We don’t have any faction in the PDP. At the national level, we are intact,” he said.
Commenting on prominent political figures like former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party’s Peter Obi being linked with the PDP, Mohammed said their association reflects ongoing public interest in the party.
He expressed confidence that the PDP would emerge stronger and present a credible challenge to the APC in 2027.
