By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos —Some citizens of Bauchi State have advised the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government and the national leadership of the party to be wary of the touted defection of Governor Bala Muhammad to the party.

The citizens, mainly lawyers under the aegis of Lawyers for the Cause of Bauchi, and other groups warned that citizens of the state may not support the second term bid of President Bola Tinubu if his administration should the party embrace Governor Muhammad

At a briefing yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, the lawyers led by Usamat Adams said, “We are here to address some burning national issues especially as they concern the EFCC, on-going corruption cases against the PDP-led administration in Bauchi State and the growing conversation, debate and divergent views across the public domain pertaining to the said imminent defection of the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Muhammed, from the People’s Democratic Party to the APC.

“Recently, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State of the PDP declared his support for President’s Tinubu re-election, come 2027. He justified his decision by saying that there are people who oppose the President’s re-election bid in the open only for them to go there at night and pledge their support. Now whether our Governor of Bauchi State belongs to this group of opposition leaders in view of unfolding developments in the polity remains a matter of public discussion”.

“With the dust raised by the defection last week of the Governor of Delta State Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, the running mate to the PDP Presidential Candidate in 2023 Ifeanyi Okowa from the PDP to the APC yet to down die down, there is also insinuations about the potential for Governor Bala to do the same.

“We recognize the right of citizens, politicians and other Nigerians to in the exercise of their right join any political Party of their choice. So the Chairman PDP Governor’s Forum in the person of Kauran Bauchi is free to join the APC.

However, what it is of greater concern to the populace in Bauchi State is how EFCC and ICPC’s engagement on corruption cases against his administration and its officials will fare going forward if at the end of the day he defects to the APC.

“Governor Bala and a member of his family were facing a couple of corruption allegations before he became governor in 2019. As his 2nd tenure in office as Governor winds down in 2027, the society is anxiously waiting how the anti-graft bodies will resume the trial for the cases that became stalled due to the immunity he currently enjoys from criminal prosecution in addition to the cases that emanated during his tenure as Governor.