Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, is the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF). In this interview, he speaks on the challenges facing the party as it prepares for elective convention in November, ONYEKACHI EZE reports

The PDP seems to be going through challenges. Most members of the party, including governors are defecting. Are you not worried that this might affect the national convention scheduled for November?

But we have been withering the storm, and we will continue to wither the storm. The convention is here to stay. We are going to Ibadan, Oyo State, by the grace of God. Nothing will stop us. No dark forces will succeed over us. The dark forces; if they succeed over PDP; have succeeded over Nigeria. We have to change the governance style of this country, and this is the beginning. This is the time to do it. We have never suffered as a country as we are suffering today under the APC. You have seen what is happening. We don’t have to go into deep melancholy and be crying as whipping boys or girls. We have to do something within the democratic space to change the nation. I was listening to one song when I came in; it was enumerating some of the achievements of the PDP. Since we left as the ruling party, nobody took over. It was as if there was a vacuum; a void in terms of delivery of democratic dividends. So, we have to work hard to inform and sensitise Nigerians. We thank the convention committee for giving us the opportunity to do that. We are going to constitute sub-committees that will go into swift interaction, so that we will start informing Nigerians about what the convention committee is doing. We will work with all the committees or subcommittees of the convention because we are interconnected with all of them. They make up this system, and that is what we are here to do. We have the experience because we have been doing conventions. When I was Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, we conducted conventions. It is not rocket science. We are going to do it by the grace of God. And seeing the human capital here, I know our task is made easy because they can deliver. So, we are confident. About defections, we are not disturbed by the shenanigans, by all those doubting Thomases. Don’t be disturbed. Yes, you should be encouraged because staying back to fight is what makes a man or a woman. It is an act of cowardice to leave because of one or two people. We are men and women of strength and integrity.

Are you not concerned that the governors, your colleagues, are leaving the party?

You are chairman of PDP Governors Forum, what reason are they giving for leaving the party? If you ask me whether I’m concerned about our governors leaving for the All Progressives Congress (APC), I am more than concerned. But leadership is a burden. As a leader of a group of equal status, I cannot determine the decisions or inactions of my colleagues, but certainly, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes. This defection would have been more devastating at the onset, but we have been talking and discussing. You know the style of leadership of the APC-led Federal Government in trying to make this country a oneparty state. They have the power of coercion; they have the power of everything. I cannot say that my colleagues are wrong; they are free to do whatever they choose. But I have been advising them that even those who left are not finding it easier because most of the people at the grassroots level are PDP and are not happy with the defections. Sometimes, it is done because of permutations and calculations. I will not denigrate or speak negatively about my colleagues, but I am assuring you that I am not going anywhere. I am in PDP and my state has no element of division. Even today, I saw in the news that one of my senators is going.

We will get a new set of leaders in 2027, who will defeat the deceptive style of the APC by coming up with true leaders that will listen to Nigerians and address their challenges

They are being controlled, they are being bought, but certainly, the state is PDP, and the state is PDP because Nigerians want change, and they believe they can get it through the PDP. Most of the measurable achievements by the Federal Government were done by PDP administrations. By the grace of God, if we stand firm, we will deliver. Nobody stops you from leaving, so that you can create another space for others to come around for governance. Some of us who won as governors were not even considered capable, and here we are. That’s what will play out in 2027. I am optimistic that we will get a new set of leaders in 2027 that will defeat the deceptive style of the APC by coming up with true leaders, who will listen to Nigerians and address their challenges. So, don’t blame anybody at the governors; level; we are doing our best, but it is beyond our control.

We heard that some members of the party have gone to court to stop the convention. Is the leadership not considering reaching out to them to address their grievances?

I cannot speak for the National Working Committee (NWC), but as a leader within the party, I know that they are doing their best to address issues of litigations. Many are artificially created to undermine us, but we don’t have any faction in the PDP. At the state level, I have even seen some people taking us to court not to go for the convention. This is not good and makes some at the National Assembly feel unsafe. But we are addressing these issues squarely. Comparatively, most of the other parties are not better off than us. We are better off than most of the opposition parties. Some don’t even have leadership at the national level. We are the only ones intact; one national chairman, with one national secretary, and one publicity secretary So, there is hope that at the end of the day, we will deliver. As a big party with history since 1999, still with the same logo, colour, manifesto, and leadership, we should commend the National Working Committee for doing well despite limitations.

Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, who has defected to the APC, is secretary of the National Convention Planning Committee. Did he tell you why he defected?

Actually, Governor Mbah did not tell us about what informed his position. It is a personal decision. He is a governor like me. I respect him and his decisions.

There are speculations that former President Goodluck Jonathan will run on the PDP platform. How true is this?

People are still interested in this party, and these big names being associated with us, makes us happy. As governors, we have resolved to put personal interests aside. I have exceeded my personal expectations. I stepped out to be a presidential candidate in the 2023 election, but I stepped down to become a governor. I have done my best and I’m happy. We have removed personal interests. We are united and will come up with leadership that will be the best choice for Nigerians to put in Aso Rock.

Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, is the Deputy Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, but we have not been seen him in most of the activities of the party. Is he still in PDP or trying to leave?

He has not left the party; he is still in PDP. Everybody has his own style. He is a humble young man who has gone through so much and has done well to accommodate all the problems and challenges he found himself in. Certainly, he is still in PDP, and to me, he is still my deputy