Bauchi Governor Urges Peter Obi to Return to PDP, Rallies Opposition to ‘Rescue Nigeria’

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has urged Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that a united opposition is crucial to “rescue Nigeria” from the failings of the current administration.

Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors Forum, made the appeal on Friday during Obi’s visit to the Bauchi Government House. He praised the former Anambra governor for championing a “new brand of politics” built on constructive engagement, people-focused governance, and visionary leadership.

“Your Excellency, my brother, we are really delighted by the new lease of life you bring to Nigerian politics,” Mohammed told Obi before an audience of journalists, stakeholders, and members of the Obidient Movement.

Highlighting Obi’s record in healthcare and education, the Bauchi governor said his performance in Anambra reflected the kind of insight and planning Nigeria urgently needs. He dismissed token politics, stressing that true leadership requires empathy, knowledge, and strategic action.

“Politics is not about sharing rice during Sallah or Christmas. It is about understanding where the shoe pinches and acting accordingly,” he declared.

Mohammed warned that opposition disunity only strengthens the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of lacking both a budgetary framework and a coherent plan for Nigeria’s future.

“We must confront this Goliath and take Nigeria to the promised land with strategy and compassion. I told you last night, and I’m saying it again publicly — we want you to come back to PDP. That’s where you belong,” he said.

In his response, Obi called for deeper collaboration across party lines, emphasising that Nigeria’s politics must shift toward competence, capacity, and compassion.

“I came to Bauchi to visit two schools of nursing, but beyond that, I came to meet my brother so we can talk about the problems of the people and how to solve them together,” Obi said. “It’s no longer about us — it’s about our country.”