Sharing formula tears APC, governor apart

Failure to arrive at a mutual sharing formula has put paid to the political romance between the ruling All Progressives Congress and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed.

Governor Mohammed belongs to the Turaki-led  faction of the PDP which is not recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the strength of a court  judgement.

The APC had been wooing him to join the party and swell its camp ahead of the 2027 elections. But the deal which was earlier looking good collapsed Saturday evening over failure to reach agreement on sharing formula.

The failure of the deal follows what the PDP described as the refusal of the APC to concede to it 60 per cent of the structure that would have resulted from the now called off re-alignment of forces in the state.

Factional chairman of PDP in the state, Alhaji Sama’ila Adamu Burga told reporters in Bauchi yesterday that the talks have accordingly been discontinued with the group now seeking a new party to join ahead of the 2027 elections

Burga said that following recent engagements between the governor and APC leaders, discussions were initiated by the APC, which invited the governor and other top  PDP members in the state to consider joining the ruling party.

According to him, the governor responded to the invitation out of respect for the personalities involved and in line with his commitment to dialogue and inclusiveness.

Involved in the meetings, he said, were Vice President Kashim Shettima, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas  and three former governors.

However, he said after extensive consultations with stakeholders within the faction, it became clear that the conditions collectively advanced for the political realignment were not acceptable to  the APC leadership.

Burga said one of the key conditions tabled by the PDP was a 60/40 sharing formula .

His words: “simply we have agreed that we are coming but we have certain conditions we want to forward to you.

“One, we want to form at least 60 percent of the party while the APC hold on to 40 percent. Also, there are some federal projects we have executed in this state, please pay us our money. To my understanding, none of the conditions has been fulfilled.

“The issue of 60-40 sharing formula does not emanate only from Bauchi State. Everywhere in the country where there was defection, this sharing formula was adopted; some were even 70 – 30. Because it would be wrong for a governor coming with a government, from councillors to himself, without having any control of the party, as such, this was the standard, but it was rejected.