The Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) Governor’s forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has described the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi as the leader of the opposition in Nigeria.
Speaking after hosting the former Anambra State Governor to a closed door meeting this Thursday, Governor Bala Mohammed openly declared his readiness to collaborate with Peter Obi to ‘rescue and recover’ Nigeria.
Governor Mohammed who had received Obi at the state’s Presidential Lodge in the meeting tagged a ‘consultation visit’, stressed that their collaboration would transcend political, tribal, or religious boundaries.
“We discussed state-by-state challenges, and I feel highly appreciative of what he is doing as the leader of the opposition because whether we like it or not, he is the leader of the opposition now in Nigeria,” Mohammed stated.
He further pointed out that their political alliance was in the interest of the Nigerian people, adding that it would strengthen opposition politics, ensure good governance, and create a roadmap for national recovery.
“Our coming together is a message, and the message is going to resonate across the country. All our colleagues, the PDP governors, are behind this kind of journey because it is a transcendental one. We are coming together to work irrespective of party, region, religion, or any other affiliation,” the number one citizen of Bauchi stressed.
“The time has come for us to step out and act with sincerity and focus. Our coming together is a message, and this message will resonate because my fellow governors support this kind of alliance,” he stated
In his speech, Obi described his visit as part of wider consultations aimed at addressing Nigeria’s crucial development challenges, pointing out that the state of the nation required discussions with key leaders, particularly from the North.
“All of you know where we are today as a country. We must talk about the issues affecting the North because the North is a critical component in getting Nigeria on the right path,” Obi observed.
While stressing the need to tackle poverty as a means of addressing insecurity, Obi argued that Nigeria must invest in education and agriculture to lift millions out of poverty and reduce crime.
“But look at what dominates our political discourse today—budget padding, sexual harassment—while Nigerians are hungry. We need to discuss hunger, poverty, education, and healthcare,” the former Anambra Governor lamented.
This meeting is seen in the political circles as very strategic coming just a few days after a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Reports also claim that El-Rufai is also in talks with Obi, leading to speculations that key opposition figures are working on a formidable alliance similar to the Pre – 2015 Political marriage that saw the rise of APC that defeated the ruling PDP.
