I’m Now Freelance Politician With No Affiliation With Any Political Party — Bala Mohamed 

By Olumuyiwa Olumuyiwa

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has stated that he is a politician with no affiliation with any political party, describing himself as a “freelance politician”

Mohammed spoke on Thursday after a closed-door session with  a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC),  Peter Obi, alongside South-East stakeholders in Bauchi.

While not disclosing what exactly was discussed at the meeting, the governor hinted that the engagement is part of broader consultations on national unity and political cooperation.

“Neither PDP nor ADC is standing alone. I am a freelance politician now, and his party is also in limbo. We are looking up to the judiciary. Certainly, we are all in the opposition, and that is why I say this is a political discussion. We will not disclose everything we have discussed in terms of the ‘I’s and ‘t’s we have crossed,” the governor said.

Mohammed noted that ongoing talks among political actors could lead to new alignments ahead of future elections.

“We cannot operate without a platform. At the end of the day, the current political situation may even help unify us and strengthen our chances of winning elections,” he said.

The Bauchi helmsman described Obi’s visit as symbolic of the east meeting with the north describing the meeting as part of efforts to bridge regional divides and promote national cohesion.

“He is talking about unifying the country, building bridges, and creating a new tomorrow for Nigeria. This is what we stand for as a state and as a people. We feel highly honoured by this visit,” governor Mohammed said.

Earlier, Obi said the visit was aimed at fostering unity and strengthening collaboration across the country.

“My purpose is to solicit support and cooperation among stakeholders, particularly from the Bauchi state, in our quest to unite this country,” he said.

Obi dismissed speculation about political defections, stressing that the meeting was not about party politics.

“We are not inviting each other into political parties; we are inviting ourselves to build a better Nigeria,” he added.

Recall that Mohammed recently disclosed that he attempted to defect to  the All Progressives Congress (APC) but his efforts did not yield the desired result.

He noted that the plan fell through because he and and his loyalists could not reach a satisfactory power sharing formula expected to be 60-40 with the leadership of the APC.