In anticipation of the 2027 general elections, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has expressed his endorsement for Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate.
During a meeting at the Government House on Thursday, Mohammed welcomed the 2023 LP presidential candidate and indicated his willingness to collaborate with Obi.
The private discussion, which extended beyond an hour at the Ramat House in Bauchi, was succeeded by a press conference.
Nevertheless, neither party provided clarification on whether this meeting would result in a possible political alliance.
“As a person, I am ready to work with Peter Obi and make sure we come together, close ranks, and bring good governance to the country. We will provide a vibrant opposition with knowledge, timeliness, and vision in a way that will help rescue and recover our country from the mediocre who are parading themselves as leaders. The time has come when we must step out and do things with fidelity, sincerity, and focus,” Mohammed said.
“Our coming together is a message, and I believe the message will resonate because all our colleagues, the Governors, are behind this kind of journey. It is a transcendental one, and I want to say that we are very grateful to Governor Obi for coming here.
“We will take it up and move it forward in a way that going forward, you will see more of these joint efforts between us, Governor Obi, the PDP Governors, and the PDP as a party.”
The governor stated that they addressed multiple topics, especially those impacting different states, with a focus on the challenges faced in Rivers State. He conveyed his gratitude to Obi for demonstrating concern.
He said, “It’s a delight to work with him and to listen to him, his deep knowledge, and his statistics. We in the PDP have always admired him and shown interest.
“Behind the scenes, I have been meeting with him. This is not the first time we’ve met. In fact, I met him in Abuja, and I was about to meet him again, but out of his usual humility, he decided to come here.”
Obi clarified that the aim of his visit was to participate in discussions regarding national matters, confer with the governor, and investigate collaborative approaches to tackle the challenges facing the country. He further highlighted that this dialogue would represent a continuous partnership.
“I came here basically to discuss our dear country, to consult, being the chair of the PDP Governors Forum and a critical figure in Nigeria’s politics today,” Obi said.
“Given what our country is going through, I felt it was necessary to come and discuss the future of our dear country with him. So, it’s just a consultation and discussion meeting that will continue as we talk about the future of this country.”
He stated that the citizens of Nigeria are cognizant of the present circumstances in the nation and emphasized the necessity of addressing these matters, especially the difficulties encountered in northern Nigeria.
“The North is a critical component if we are going to get it right in this country,” Obi said.
He stressed the necessity of tackling poverty-related issues and highlighted the importance of substantial investment in agriculture by the North. Additionally, he called for the nation to prioritize significant national concerns instead of getting involved in insignificant issues.
