Bala Mohammed, Makinde set to Dump PDP

Barely any last minute change, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Oyo State counterpart Seyi Makinde will quit their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before April.

Sources within the party say the governors have already finalized plans to abandon the (PDP), in what could become another major blow to the opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections. While Mohammed is reportedly heading to the ruling (APC), Makinde is said to be aligning with the (ADC).

The development is the latest in a series of defections that have severely weakened the PDP since the 2023 elections, raising fresh concerns about the party’s ability to remain a viable national opposition force.

A senior party source familiar with internal discussions told journalists that both governors have already concluded arrangements for their political realignment.

According to the source, Bala Mohammed’s move to the APC is nearly complete, while Makinde’s negotiations with the ADC have reached an advanced stage.

“All the PDP leaders are leaving,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “Bala Mohammed is already in APC, and Makinde is on his way to ADC.”

The anticipated defections reflect the growing instability within the PDP, which has been struggling with a prolonged leadership crisis and factional disputes that have divided its top leadership and weakened party cohesion across several state

The crisis is not limited to governors. Federal lawmakers have also been defecting from the PDP in significant numbers.

According to a political tracking report by the (PLAC), at least 66 federal legislators elected under the PDP platform have defected to the APC since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.

The defectors include 19 senators and 47 members of the House of Representatives.

The electoral body has scheduled the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are set for February 6, 2027.

However, party primaries are scheduled to begin much earlier, starting April 23, 2026 and ending May 30, 2026.

Under the electoral schedule, political parties must submit their membership registers to INEC between April 1 and April 21, 2026, in line with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act.

The law requires that membership registers be submitted no later than 21 days before party primaries.

Political strategists say this deadline has created urgency among politicians planning to switch parties, as they must finalize their moves before party registers are submitted.

If the planned defections of Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde materialize, the PDP could lose two more influential figures in its ranks, further raising questions about its ability to reorganize and compete effectively in the next national election.