Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has expressed his willingness to collaborate with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in a bid to “rescue and recover Nigeria” from its current socio-political and economic challenges.
Governor Mohammed made this declaration in Bauchi on Thursday when Obi paid him a visit at the state’s Presidential Lodge. The closed-door meeting, which was tagged a ‘consultation visit,’ reportedly focused on strategies to address the growing issues of poverty, insecurity, and governance inefficiencies across the country.
Speaking on the outcome of their meeting, Mohammed acknowledged Obi as the leader of Nigeria’s opposition and stressed that their collaboration would transcend political, tribal, or religious boundaries.
“We discussed state-by-state challenges, and I feel highly appreciative of what he is doing as the leader of the opposition because whether we like it or not, he is the leader of the opposition now in Nigeria,” Mohammed stated.
He further noted that their political alliance was in the interest of the Nigerian people, adding that it would strengthen opposition politics, ensure good governance, and create a roadmap for national recovery.
“Our coming together is a message, and the message is going to resonate across the country. All our colleagues, the PDP governors, are behind this kind of journey because it is a transcendental one. We are coming together to work irrespective of party, region, religion, or any other affiliation,” the governor added.
Although details of the meeting remain undisclosed, political observers believe the discussion might have touched on the 2027 general elections, given the growing realignment of political forces across the country.
This meeting comes amid reports that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). El-Rufai is also reportedly in talks with Obi, sparking speculation that key opposition figures are working on a formidable alliance ahead of the next elections.
Meanwhile, neither Peter Obi nor his aides have officially commented on the nature of his visit to Bauchi.