Bauchi PDP: Bala Mohammed won’t Join APC — 60:40 Power-sharing Formula was Rejected

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi state says it has ended talks with the All Progressives Congress (APC) over possible defections after the proposed power-sharing formula was not agreed on.

There have been reports that Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, and his supporters in the PDP were considering joining the APC amid the leadership crisis in the opposition party.

On April 1, the Bauchi governor hosted Nentawe Yilwatda, APC national chairman, at the state government house.

Some days after the meeting, stakeholders in Bauchi APC asked the national working committee (NWC) to consult members before admitting Mohammed into the party.

Subsequently, the governor hosted APC members in the house of representatives from Bauchi

On April 9, the Bauchi APC chapter said the state governor has agreed to work with stakeholders when he joins the party.

‘60-40 POWER-SHARING FORMULA WAS REJECTED BY APC’

However, speaking at a press conference on Saturday at the PDP secretariat, Sama’ila Burga, Bauchi PDP chairman, said APC failed to meet the conditions stipulated by the party despite initial engagements with its leaders.

Burga added that the proposed 60-40 power-sharing formula was rejected by the APC, saying, “the process has now been brought to a close.”

He said the discussion has been discontinued since the APC is not ready to accept the conditions for the defections, adding that the PDP and Bauchi governor are now considering other political options.

“Following recent engagements between His Excellency, governor of Bauchi state, and leaders of All Progressives Congress concerning an invitation to the governor, PDP members, and elected officials in Bauchi state, including members of the national and state assemblies and local government council, to consider joining the APC,” he said.

“We consider it appropriate at this point to provide a briefing update. We wish to clarify that the initiative for these discussions came from the APC.

“His Excellency graciously responded out of respect for the eminent personalities involved and in keeping with his commitment to dialogue and inclusiveness.

“The governor, the PDP, and the people of Bauchi state participated in the engagements in good faith.

“However, after extensive consultations with PDP stakeholders, it became clear that the conditions, collectively advanced for such political realignment, were not accepted by the APC.

“In the light of this, we want to announce that the discuss has not yielded a conclusive outcome and it is hereby formally discontinued. The process has now been brought to a close.

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“The issue of 60-40 sharing formulas does not emanate only from Bauchi state. Everywhere in the country where there was defection, this sharing formula was adopted; some were even 70 – 30.

“Because it would be wrong for a governor coming with a government, from councillors to himself, without having any control of the party, as such, this was the standard, but it was rejected.”