Bala Mohammed Storms Back to Senate Politics After Dumping PDP for APM

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has formally joined the race for the Bauchi South Senatorial District seat under the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections, marking a major political shift in northern Nigeria.

The governor picked up his nomination form on Thursday in Abuja shortly after participating in his first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

The meeting was presided over by APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle alongside other members of the party’s leadership.

Speaking during the meeting, Mohammed criticised what he described as growing political intimidation and undemocratic practices within Nigeria’s political system, saying many progressive politicians now face increasing difficulty in surviving politically.

According to him, the APM aligns with his political ideals, especially on issues of internal democracy, justice, inclusiveness, good governance, and adherence to the rule of law.

The Bauchi governor said his defection was not a personal move but part of a broader political realignment involving several former members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He disclosed that lawmakers, commissioners, local government chairmen, ward executives, party officials, and grassroots supporters from Bauchi State joined him in the movement to strengthen the APM ahead of 2027.

Mohammed recently dumped the PDP after serving as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, citing the need for stronger political representation for his supporters and constituents.

His decision to contest for the Senate seat signals a return to national legislative politics nearly two decades after he first represented Bauchi South Senatorial District in 2007 under the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Mohammed later served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in 2010 before defecting to the PDP, under which he became governor of Bauchi State.

Political observers believe the governor’s defection and Senate ambition could reshape the political landscape in Bauchi State and further intensify realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.