Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using state institutions to intimidate and persecute opposition figures, warning that if the actions continue, opposition members are ready to declare war. Speaking at a press conference, Mohammed alleged that the federal government is leveraging the courts and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to target Nigerians who do not align with the ruling party. He emphasized his refusal to join the APC and vowed not to remain silent in the face of what he described as political persecution. “The APC-led federal government thinks they can use the court and the EFCC to prosecute Nigerians who are not in their party,” he stated. “If they don’t stop, we are prepared to declare a war. I assure you, we will not keep quiet any longer. I will not allow anybody to criminalize me because I refuse to join their party.”
The tension between Mohammed and the APC leadership has escalated amid ongoing political realignments within Nigeria’s opposition parties. His comments come at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is navigating internal divisions ahead of its 2027 electoral ambitions. In a separate development, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike revealed that Governor Mohammed visited his home to request a postponement of the recent PDP National Convention. Wike disclosed this during his monthly media chat in Abuja, explaining that Mohammed had approached him after returning from Lagos, seeking to delay the convention to allow for reconciliation efforts within the party. However, Wike declined the request, citing legal and procedural grounds.
According to Wike, the court had previously ruled against holding the convention, and the party had established a committee of prominent Nigerians to resolve internal disputes. He criticized Mohammed for disregarding the committee’s recommendations and proceeding with the convention, which he then sought to validate in court. “You had your so-called convention and went back to the Federal High Court in Ibadan to validate your convention; we did not,” Wike said. Despite the rift, Wike maintained that the doors of his faction remain open to those who wish to return, asserting that the PDP still has the capacity to make a significant impact in the 2027 elections. “Politics is like football; it’s not hard to reconcile,” he added. “We have had our differences, and this is where you made a mistake, so that is what we are doing. Now that we have come to this point, let’s be sincere, it’s not too late.”
The developments underscore deepening fractures within Nigeria’s political landscape, as opposition parties grapple with leadership battles and strategic realignments. As the 2027 elections loom, the dynamics between the APC and the PDP, along with their respective allies, will continue to shape the country’s political trajectory.
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