Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has issued a stern warning to the presidency, alleging the use of state power to interfere in the internal crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, in a strongly-worded statement, described the alleged interference as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines Nigerian democracy. His comments follow a day of chaos that saw the PDP’s national secretariat blockaded by police amid a leadership tussle.
“I must also caution the presidency. It is a dangerous precedent to empower individuals who lack both character and commitment to democratic values, individuals who misuse state power to settle internal political disputes,” Governor Mohammed stated.
He added, “Such actions do not serve our country, and they certainly do not serve the PDP. Rather, they undermine the very institutions that bind our democracy together.”
The governor’s statement marks a significant escalation in rhetoric, directly challenging the ruling party and the presidency over their alleged role in the PDP’s internal affairs. He framed the conflict as a battle for the soul of the main opposition party.
“Let me be clear: the PDP will not be cowed, harassed, or silenced. We have weathered greater storms and emerged stronger. This moment will be no different. We will rise from it more united and more determined,” Mohammed declared.
Asserting the collective resolve of the party’s governors, he said, “I reaffirm that the PDP Governors’ Forum will not stand by and watch the party be dismantled by those who neither understand its founding principles nor respect its future.”
The governor pledged the forum’s full support to the newly constituted National Working Committee (NWC), promising to defend the party’s secretariat and its internal democratic processes.
“We shall do so with unity, strategic coordination, and an unshakable commitment to the rule of law,” he concluded.
