Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has dismissed reports suggesting he plans to become the running mate to former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2027 general election.

Reports had emerged that Mohammed, who recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), was being considered as Jonathan’s vice-presidential candidate in a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki.

Recall that Jonathan was recently named the presidential candidate of the PDP faction for the 2027 elections. He was ratified as the party’s flag bearer during a special national convention held at the faction’s office in Area 10, Garki District, Abuja.

Although the former president was absent from the event, his certificate of return was received on his behalf by Fred Agbedi, a member of the House of Representatives from Bayelsa State.

The speculation gained traction after Nuhu Sada, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claimed in a post on X that reports indicated Mohammed was being considered as Jonathan’s running mate for the 2027 polls.

Responding to the claim, the Bauchi governor firmly denied the reports, stating that his political ambition remains focused on representing Bauchi South Senatorial District under the platform of the APM.

In a post on X, Mohammed said: “Thank you for your interest in my political aspirations. However, for the sake of clarity, my focus remains firmly on contesting for the Bauchi South Senatorial District seat under the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

“Any reports suggesting a different political course should be disregarded as speculative and inaccurate.”

Mohammed recently resigned from the PDP and joined the APM amid the prolonged leadership crisis within the opposition party. (Guardian)