ABUJA — The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, has strongly refuted widespread media reports and circulating campaign materials linking him to a joint presidential bid with former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an official statement released yesterday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, the Governor categorized the publications as the handiwork of political detractors aiming to create artificial friction within the opposition’s leadership structure.
The Source of the Friction
The controversy erupted following the sudden appearance of high-grade campaign posters across strategic locations in Abuja, Kaduna, and Bauchi. The posters prominently featured the photographs of both former President Jonathan and Governor Mohammed, accompanied by taglines suggesting a unified northern-southern ticket designed to rescue the PDP from its ongoing structural paralysis.
The imagery immediately triggered intense debate among political analysts, particularly given Governor Mohammed’s historic ties to Jonathan, under whom he served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 2010 to 2015.
Dismissing the materials completely, Gidado stated that the Governor had no hand in, nor did he authorize, the production or distribution of any campaign materials associating his brand with a 2027 run at this time.
“Our attention has been drawn to mischievous speculations and unauthorized campaign posters insinuating a political alignment between Governor Bala Mohammed and our respected former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for the 2027 presidency,” the statement read. “We wish to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, is completely unaware of these developments. He remains fiercely focused on delivering his governance mandates to the people of Bauchi State and leading the PDP Governors’ Forum toward internal reconciliation.”
Reconciling Past Pledges with Present Realities
The sudden wave of speculation is rooted in historical precedent. During previous electoral cycles, Governor Mohammed publicly noted that his own political trajectory was deeply intertwined with Jonathan’s, famously stating in past interviews that he would step down his personal presidential ambitions if his former boss indicated a desire to return to the State House.
However, since those statements, the domestic political landscape has shifted fundamentally. The PDP is currently navigating a period of internal volatility, with high-profile tussles between competing factions. Insiders suggest that floating a Jonathan-Bala ticket at this juncture is a calculated attempt by parallel interest groups to prematurely force the Governor’s hand and test the waters of public opinion.
Furthermore, the timing of the rumors is highly sensitive. Over the past few months, the political grapevine has been flooded with speculation concerning the Governor’s partisan future, with some elements even alleging a potential defection plan. By issuing a swift, absolute disclaimer, Mohammed is attempting to project the image of a disciplined party loyalist committed to institutional processes rather than unilateral, backroom groupings.
Focus on the Bauchi Mandate
The statement concluded by urging the public, party members, and media organizations to disregard the circulating reports. It emphasized that when the time for definitive political declarations arrives, such moves will be communicated transparently through official party organs rather than anonymous public placements.
For now, the Bauchi Governor appears content to manage his role as the head of the PDP’s gubernatorial bloc, leaving the ultimate configuration of the 2027 opposition ticket an open, undecided question.
