The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has called on Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return to the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mohammed made the appeal on Friday when he hosted Obi at the Bauchi Government House.
The meeting, attended by members of the ‘Obidient’ movement, was followed by an interactive session with journalists.
Emphasising the need for unity among opposition parties, the governor said “We have to harmonise our interests in the interest of the people of Nigeria. The opposition must come together. This ADC, PDP and even the remaining political parties should come together.”
He further explained that his call wasn’t about hostility toward the ruling administration, but about the need for a stronger and more focused opposition.
“And we don’t even hate the present administration. We wish they would do better, but as I discussed with you, there’s no budget. There is no plan. Everything is about politics from day one.”
Mohammed stressed that unity and sacrifice are required to meet the expectations of Nigerians:
“We have to be cautious, not to disparage our people. We have to unite the opposition, our ego and our interests. So that we can present a common front to compete and to make sure that we go to the promised land.”
He described the mood in the country as tense, adding “There is a lot of hunger and anger. And we don’t want to cause so many disparaging movements.”
In a direct appeal, the governor urged Obi to rejoin the PDP “So please come back. That’s where you belong. Don’t go anywhere that is in disarray.”
In response, Peter Obi said his visit to Bauchi was primarily to engage with young people, particularly students in health colleges and Almajiri schools.
“I was in Bauchi to interact with youths in colleges of health and the Almajiris.”
He expressed optimism following the interactions, saying “Based on the interactions I’ve had with future leaders, I am satisfied with their potential.”
Obi also commended Bala Mohammed for his achievements in the education sector.
“I appreciate Bala for the wonderful work he is doing in education.”
Addressing questions about Nigeria’s political direction, Obi stated:
“Our politics must change. It has to be politics of development, politics of competence, politics of capacity and compassion, where we care for other people.”
He described his meeting with Governor Mohammed as a courtesy visit to discuss national issues:
“I visited Bala on a courtesy call to talk about the problems of the country. How can we solve it together?”
Obi also reiterated the importance of political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections; “Alliance is not for power grabbing, but to bring about changes and development.”
As part of his visit, Obi donated a total of N15 million to two educational institutions in Bauchi; N10 million to Malikiyya College of Nursing Sciences and N5 million to Intisharu Islamic and Quranic Memorisation School.
Speaking during the donation at Malikiyya College of Nursing Sciences, he emphasised the role of nurses in healthcare delivery:
“You are very important to this Nigeria, and if there is anything we can do to support what you are doing, we need to do it. The nurse is more important than the doctor. The nurse knows the patient, the nurse owns the patient, the nurse is everything.”
