Aliyu Ilelah, a senior APC chieftain in Bauchi State, told reporters on Wednesday that opposition to Governor Bala Mohammed's alleged switch to the All Progressives Congress stems from self‑interest. Speaking in front of hundreds of supporters, Ilelah responded to a recent caucus meeting led by Senator Samaila Dahuwa of Bauchi North, where APC stalwarts voiced resistance to admitting the governor before the 2027 elections. He described the caucus stance as "curious" and motivated by bitterness rather than the party's collective success.
"It is disrespectful to the leadership of the party and Mr President," Ilelah said, adding that the party's national leadership and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were already reaching out to the governor. He accused some caucus members of hopping between parties after losing primaries or defecting from the PDP without consulting stakeholders.
Ilelah warned that such self‑serving moves could jeopardise President Tinubu's 2027 re‑election bid, noting that most APC supporters in Bauchi welcome Mohammed and view him as a potential "strongest electoral asset" for the party beyond the state. He praised Tinubu's inclusive approach, citing alliances in Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Adamawa, Taraba and Plateau, and urged the governor to be patient while the party prepares a warm reception.
Aliyu Ilelah's claim that only "self‑centred politicians" block Governor Mohammed's entry into the APC reveals a deeper power tussle within the state's ruling elite. By framing dissent as personal bitterness, Ilelah seeks to delegitimize a faction that fears losing influence if a sitting governor brings his extensive patronage network into the party.
The episode reflects the broader jockeying for control ahead of the 2027 elections, where the APC's national leadership, led by President Tinubu, is courting high‑profile defectors to solidify its grip. The resistance from Senator Dahuwa's caucus hints at lingering anxieties about intra‑party balance, especially after several members have previously switched allegiances after primary defeats.
For ordinary Bauchi voters, the outcome could reshape local political dynamics. If Mohammed joins the APC, his administration's resources—commissioners, local government chairmen and supporters—may be redirected toward Tinubu's campaign, potentially marginalising opposition voices and altering the delivery of state projects.
The dispute fits a recurring pattern of strategic defections in Nigerian politics, where parties expand their electoral base by absorbing sitting governors, often sparking internal friction that tests party cohesion ahead of national polls.
