Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has denied rumors that Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State and chairman of the party’s Governors’ forum, is joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the midst of efforts to resolve the party’s issue, there have been allegations on the internet that Governor Mohammed is finalizing plans to leave the PDP and join the ruling APC.
According to Naija News, the PDP lost ten governors to the APC in less than a year. Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, recently defected after the Appeal Court nullified the party’s national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, which resulted in the Turaki-led national leadership.
Reconciliation negotiations between the National caretaker committee, supported by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Turaki-led leadership, supported by PDP governors, have been triggered by the court ruling.
In an interview with Leadership, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led PDP, refuted allegations of Mohammed’s defection, claiming that the Governor had given the party leadership assurances on Sunday that he was not defecting.
“What we know is that he has told us he is still with us,” he stated. When he spoke with our national chairman this morning (yesterday), he maintained that he was still with us. We don’t know where the rumors are coming from because he has stated on multiple occasions that he feels at ease in the party. Time will tell. However, we do know that he has assured us that he is with us.
Speaking about the planned reconciliation negotiations with the Wike-led group, Ememobong stated that stakeholder meetings were still in progress and would be directed by predetermined tactics.
“It has been agreed that they should keep their work an internal issue and not escalate it in order to facilitate decisions on which the reconciliation committee is working,” he stated.
You are aware that knowledge is strategic in any negotiation and can either strengthen or jeopardize the reconciliation. Therefore, their terms of reference are adequate to direct them in whatever they undertake.
