Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, are reportedly set to resign their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before April, according to sources familiar with developments within the party.
The PDP has been experiencing a prolonged period of internal turmoil, with several prominent figures leaving the party amid an unresolved leadership crisis that continues to affect the opposition platform.
A credible source close to the developments disclosed over the weekend that while Bala Mohammed is already moving toward the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Makinde has concluded arrangements to join the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that “all the PDP leaders are leaving. Bala Mohammed is already in APC, Makinde is on his way to ADC”.
Governors who have exited the PDP
Since the 2023 general elections, no fewer than nine PDP governors have left the party, citing irreconcilable internal disputes.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State was the first to defect, leaving the PDP for the APC in April 2025.
He was followed by Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, who joined the ruling party in June 2025. In October 2025, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State also defected to the APC.
In November 2025, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri joined the APC, while Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara moved to the ruling party in December 2025.
In January this year, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State all left the PDP to join the APC.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State also left the PDP in December 2025, but defected to the Accord Party.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has reportedly indicated interest in leaving the PDP for the APC.
Sources say Governor Lawal may be formally received into the ruling party shortly after the forthcoming Eid el Kabir celebration.
Defections have not been limited to governors. Several federal and state lawmakers have also left the PDP for the APC.
According to tracking by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre up to January 2026, a total of 66 PDP federal lawmakers have defected to the APC since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.
This figure includes 19 senators and 47 members of the House of Representatives.
Defections linked to new INEC timetable
Political actors planning to switch parties are reportedly under pressure to finalize their moves before April following the new election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Under the new schedule, the presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on January 16, 2027, while governorship and state houses of assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
Party primary elections, including the resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will begin on April 23, 2026, and end on May 30, 2026.
Political parties are also required to submit their membership registers to the electoral body between April 1, 2026, and April 21, 2026 in accordance with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The law mandates that such registers be submitted “not later than 21 days to the conduct of party primaries.”
INEC further stated that political parties must conclude their primaries by May 30, 2026 to enable them “democratically nominate candidates for the election as required by Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
Concerns over PDP participation in 2027 election
There are also indications that the PDP may struggle to participate in the 2027 presidential election due to the unresolved leadership crisis within the party.
A party chieftain, Omenka Thomas, speaking in Abuja over the weekend, said ongoing litigation surrounding the validity of the Ibadan convention may not be resolved before the presidential primary election.
According to him, “Primary election is already at the corner and we don’t even know what the appeal court will decide on the matter yet.
“Now, any of the factions that elects a candidate during the primary, you don’t know what the court ruling will be so nobody wants to waste his time and resources.
“We thought that by now, the Appeal Court must have ruled on the matter then before June to July, the Supreme Court will also give a final verdict but here we are still on appeal.
“APC knows what they are doing. They brought down the date for primary elections knowing the case PDP has in court.
“The FCT Minister does not want the party to have a candidate in 2027 and the whole things are playing out the way he wants”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently urged the rival factions within the party to resolve their differences amicably, describing the crisis as a family dispute that had “gone sour.”
The Court of Appeal in Abuja is also expected to deliver its judgement on the consolidated appeals from the two factions later this week.
