“We Need a Christian From the South as PDP Presidential Candidate” — Bala Mohammed

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must present a Christian presidential candidate from the South in the 2027 election to avoid what he described as the mistake made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023. Speaking on Thursday during a television interview, Mohammed explained that while the party has not yet narrowed down its choice of candidate, zoning has already been settled in favour of the South.

He argued that the PDP must consider Nigeria’s religious and regional diversity in selecting its flagbearer, warning against replicating the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, which drew widespread criticism in the last election. According to him, the PDP should allow the South to produce a Christian presidential candidate who would then be paired with a northern Muslim running mate, thereby reflecting the country’s religious balance.

“What I want to say is we have not absolutely chosen or narrowed down on any person. Everybody should know that PDP is open. It’s open in a manner that it is for the southerners to bring somebody, and I said with all humility, we don’t want to make the mistake of the APC,” Mohammed said.

The governor dismissed speculation that the PDP was considering a joint ticket involving Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as the presidential candidate and himself as running mate. He insisted that the choice of vice-presidential candidate must ultimately be left to the presidential nominee, adding that he was not stepping aside to position himself for the role.

Mohammed maintained that he would support any credible candidate from the South chosen by the party, even if it meant not being on the ticket. He stressed that his loyalty was to the PDP’s collective decision rather than personal ambition.

In 2023, President Bola Tinubu of the APC picked former Borno State governor Kashim Shettima as his running mate, a decision that sparked heated debate over the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket. The PDP, however, has already zoned its presidential ticket to the southern region ahead of the 2027 polls.