By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who is, also,  Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Governors Forum  has signaled his preference for the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Governor Mohammed who spoke on Tuesday, March 31,2026 , while receiving in audience an ADC delegation led by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, at the Bauchi State Government House, expressed his willingness to join forces with the opposition party in the days ahead.

He cited  the seemingly intractable leadership and internal crises rocking the PDP as the major reason for his planned defection.

According to him, all meaningful efforts at retrieving the PDP from the brink have so far proved futile owing to what he described as the destructive activities of some hirelings.

“We have found ourselves in a very dare situation. I have done everything possible to ensure reconciliation. But it has not worked

“We set up committees at both the national and state levels to explore all conflict resolution options, but sadly, we discovered that we are not wanted”, Gov Mohammed stated.

He emphasized that  after several discussions and consultations, ADC has emerged as the auspicious and acceptable alternative political platform to the PDP.

“As of now, the ADC appears to be a very welcoming and acceptable alternative political platform.

“However, we have not concluded. Talks are still ongoing. We are engaging stakeholders to ensure we do not make mistakes.

” However, we are still conscious of the dateline. Everything, I believe will be concluded on, or before Thursday so that we can move forward together. You will hear a firm commitment from us”, Mohammad assured the ADC delegation.

Earlier, Lawal had noted that the ADC delegation was in Bauchi State at the instance of the party’s national leadership headed by former Senate President, David Mark, with a clear mandate to officially invite the Governor to join the ADC.

According to the former SGF, the task of rescuing the country from the precipice is one that requires unity and commitment.

This was as he expressed the optimism that their mission to Bauchi would yield the expected results.

Mohammed and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, are the only two Governors still in the PDP. The others, over 12 of them, have all decamped to the APC, except Osun State Governor who decamped to the Accord Party.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the APC-led Federal Government of attempting to destabilise the party following Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s defection, alleging pressure on INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), to interfere in its leadership.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said a March 28 letter by some Senior Advocates, purportedly representing an expelled member of the party, is being used to push INEC to invalidate party actions and alter its structure before the court rules. The ADC alleges that this is part of a grand plan to destabilise the only viable opposition party left in the country and promises to resist it using all constitutional means.

The full statement reads:

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has observed a coordinated attempt to pressure the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), and destabilise the David Mark-led leadership of the party.

The decision of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to join our party has understandably sent jitters through the ruling party. Since then, top officials within the Federal Government have renewed their onslaught against our party, in a bid to discourage other high-profile figures.

This conspiracy is centred on a legal dispute that is now being pushed beyond the courtroom. In a letter dated March 28, 2026, a team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria is asking INEC to enforce a curious and peculiar interpretation of a Court of Appeal ruling regarding what constitutes “status quo ante bellum.”

In the said letter, the writers even went ahead to threaten the INEC chairman with arrest if he does not grant their request within seven days. They want INEC to invalidate party meetings, remove recognised officials, and hand over the affairs of the party to a specific individual, even though the case itself has not been fully decided by the courts. Obviously, what the authors of this vexatious letter are attempting to do is to pressure INEC to take sides and grant them what no court in Nigeria has granted.

For the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is claiming to be aggrieved over the ADC leadership, was never the Chairman of the ADC. And, perhaps more significantly, Nafiu Gombe had earlier resigned his position alongside other members of the National Working Committee. He has also since been expelled from the party. Therefore, any attempt to recreate a “status quo” that upgrades his position to National Chairman of the ADC at any point in time is, at best, fictitious.

What we are witnessing is a convergence of legal pressure and political intent by a ruling party that is unsettled by the growing appeal of the ADC. But Nigerians can see what is happening.

No amount of pressure, no manufactured confusion, and no distortion of legal processes will stop what is already in motion. The ADC is growing. Nigerians are joining. A credible opposition is taking shape.

We call on INEC to remain guided by the Constitution, resist all forms of pressure, and uphold its duty as an impartial umpire.

This is bigger than the ADC. It is about whether Nigerians can freely choose a different path. And that must not be compromised.

Signed:

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi

National Publicity Secretary

African Democratic Congress (ADC)