Peter Obi and Bala Mohammed Signal United Front in Bauchi Talks
posted 13th March 2025
Peter Obi and Bala Mohammed Signal United Front in Bauchi Talks
Bauchi, Nigeria – 13 March 2025
In a significant development for Nigeria’s political landscape, Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), and Bala Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi State and a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held a closed-door meeting today at the Ramat House in Bauchi. The talks, which lasted over three hours, have sparked widespread speculation about a potential opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Following their discussions, the two leaders addressed the media, with Governor Mohammed delivering a bold statement of intent. “I am ready to work with Peter Obi to the very end,” he declared, signalling a willingness to collaborate across party lines. In a scathing critique of the current administration, he added, “The government of today is not democracy. We would use knowledge, tactics, and strategies to transcend Nigerians irrespective of the plans of those people who think they can scatter democracy.”
The meeting comes at a time of heightened political tension in Nigeria, as opposition figures seek to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led by President Bola Tinubu, who secured victory in the 2023 election. Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State who garnered over six million votes in that contest, has emerged as a key opposition leader, while Mohammed, as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, wields significant influence within his party.
Though the specifics of their discussions remain undisclosed, the rhetoric from both leaders suggests a shared focus on addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including poverty, insecurity, and governance. Obi, speaking alongside Mohammed, hinted at the broader purpose of the talks, saying, “We have just started discussions. You can’t consummate a marriage in one day. But the most important thing is that our thoughts are centred on issues that affect the ordinary Nigerian.”
Political analysts view the Bauchi meeting as a potential turning point, with the possibility of a coalition between the LP and PDP gaining traction. Mohammed’s emphasis on transcending party, religious, and regional divides underscored a call for unity, as he vowed to “close ranks” and provide “vibrant opposition” to rescue the country from its current trajectory.
The timing of the talks is notable, coinciding with reports of other opposition manoeuvres, including former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s shift from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and his rumoured discussions with Obi. As Nigeria grapples with economic woes and political polarisation, today’s events in Bauchi could mark the beginning of a formidable challenge to the ruling party.
Both leaders are expected to continue their consultations, with Mohammed asserting that their collaboration “is a message that will resonate” across the nation. For now, Nigerians await further developments as the road to 2027 begins to take shape.
