Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has described himself as a “freelance politician,” citing ongoing uncertainty within the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mohammed made the remark on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with former presidential candidate Peter Obi at Ramat House in Bauchi.
The meeting is believed to be part of wider consultations among opposition figures seeking political alignment ahead of the next election cycle.
“Neither PDP nor ADC is standing alone. I am a freelance politician now… we are all in the opposition,” Mohammed said.
He added that discussions with Obi centred on possible cooperation and political realignment.
“We are looking at realignment, alignment and cooperation so that we can have a platform. We cannot go without a platform,” he said.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party before later aligning with the African Democratic Congress, led a delegation of South-East political leaders to the meeting.
The delegation included figures such as Senator Ben Obi, former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa, and Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe and Victor Umeh.
Speaking after the meeting, Obi said the visit was aimed at strengthening national unity and building cross-regional political cooperation.
“My purpose is to solicit the support and cooperation of stakeholders in Bauchi and the North-East in our quest to unite this country,” Obi said.
He added that Nigeria needed urgent political and economic reforms to reverse what he described as negative national trends.
“The country cannot continue the way it is today; we are headed in the wrong direction,” he said.
Both leaders confirmed that the discussions focused on broader opposition collaboration ahead of the 2027 elections, though no formal agreement was announced.
The meeting marks another engagement between the two politicians, following a similar visit in 2025 when Mohammed hosted Obi and reportedly encouraged him to consider joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP and ADC are both currently facing internal legal disputes, with several key cases still pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, contributing to uncertainty within opposition ranks.
Political observers say the growing interactions between major opposition figures could signal early groundwork for a possible coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
