Barely any last minute change, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Oyo State counterpart Seyi Makinde will quit their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before April, Bellnews reports.
It has been a tumultuous period for the PDP as its key leaders continue to defect following the protracted leadership tussle bedeviling the opposition platform.
A credible source familiar with developments in the party told DAILY POST weekend that while Bala Mohammed is on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Makinde has concluded plans to join the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The source, who spoke anonymously, told our correspondent that “all the PDP leaders are leaving. Bala Mohammed is already in APC, Makinde is on his way to ADC”.
How governors resigned from PDP
Since 2023 general elections, no fewer than 9 PDP governors have left the party, citing an irreconcilable crisis in the opposition party.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State was first to dump the party for APC in April 2025.
Subsequently, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom joined the ruling party in June 2025, followed by Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who also decamped to APC in October 2025.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri joined APC in November 2025, followed by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who also defected to the ruling party in December 2025.
In January this year, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Agbu Kefas of Taraba State and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State all dumped PDP for the ruling party.
Only Ademola Adeleke of Osun State defected to the Accord Party in December 2025.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has indicated interest to dump PDP for APC.
Bellnews gathered that Governor Dauda will be officially received into the party immediately after the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Both federal and state lawmakers are not left out in the gale of defections from the PDP to the ruling APC.
According to a tracking by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre up to January 2026, 66 PDP federal lawmakers have defected to APC since the 10th National Assembly began in June 2023.
No fewer than 19 senators and 47 House of Representatives members dumped PDP for APC
Defectors move to beat INEC deadline
Politicians planning to defect to another party are under pressure to conclude their plans before April following the new election timetable recently released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In the new timetable, INEC fixed January 16, 2027 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state houses of assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
However, the conduct of party primary elections, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on April 23, 2026 and end on May 30, 2026.
Bellnews reports that under the revised schedule, political parties are required to submit their membership register to the electoral body between April 1, 2026 and April 21, 2026 in line with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The electoral law requires registers to be submitted “not later than 21 days to the conduct of party primaries.”
Similarly, political parties must conduct their primaries latest May 30, 2026 to enable them “democratically nominate candidates for the election as required by Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026,” said INEC.
PDP may boycott 2027 presidential election
Indication has also emerged that PDP may not participate in the 2027 presidential election owing to the unending leadership tussle.
A chieftain of the party, Omenka Thomas, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja at the weekend, said the litigation over the validity of the Ibadan convention will not be concluded 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.
Bellnews reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday urged the warring factions of the party to resolve their differences amicably, describing the crisis as a family dispute that had “gone sour.”
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, is expected to deliver its judgement on the consolidated appeals from the two factions any moment this week.