Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said that he and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State would make a strong and balanced team if paired as presidential and vice-presidential candidates under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2027 general elections.
Mohammed made this remark on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he addressed growing speculations about a possible Makinde-Bala 2027 ticket.
The Bauchi governor stated that both of them have proven leadership abilities at the state level and could bring credibility, unity, and competence to national leadership if given the opportunity.
“Seyi Makinde–Bala Mohammed ticket can match, even better,” he said confidently. “Because to me, it depends on what Nigerians want.”
According to him, the PDP must learn from the mistakes made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023, and ensure that its presidential ticket respects Nigeria’s diversity and religious balance.
Bala Mohammed explained that the PDP is open to presenting a Christian from the South as presidential candidate in 2027, with a Muslim from the North as running mate — a pairing he believes would reflect Nigeria’s multi-religious identity.
“We need a Christian from the South to emerge as a presidential candidate so that he will lead the majority of Christian southerners to come and pick a majority Muslim vice president in the North,” he said.
Mohammed warned against a repeat of the APC’s controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 elections, which he believes ignored Nigeria’s religious sensitivities and contributed to division.
“We don’t want to make the mistake of the APC. They picked a minority from the South and then a majority from the North, which brought the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
He added that Nigeria has not yet reached a stage where religion and ethnicity can be completely ignored in national politics, and therefore such realities must be considered when forming election strategies.
Bala clarified that the PDP has not yet chosen or narrowed down any particular candidate for the 2027 presidential election. He emphasized that the party remains open to various options, and that ongoing discussions about potential ticket pairings are still informal and speculative.
“What I want to say is, we have not absolutely chosen or narrowed down on any person,” he said. “Everybody should know that PDP is open.”
He noted that several names are being discussed across the country, but that it is ultimately up to the party members and stakeholders to decide who will lead the party into the next elections.
“It is all these narratives that would go into the consciousness or the senses of judgment of our party people and even the presidential candidate when he emerges,” he said.
Bala urged party members to consider Nigeria’s political realities and the failures of the current APC government when choosing candidates.
“If Nigerians want the continuation of this clueless administration, then it is their choice. But certainly, they have seen the pedigree and the capacity of Seyi and my humble self at the sub-national level,” he said.
While Governor Seyi Makinde has not publicly declared his interest in the presidency, he has been widely regarded as one of the rising stars within the PDP, particularly after winning re-election in 2023 and playing a significant role in the G5 Governors’ alliance, which opposed PDP’s zoning arrangements during the last election cycle.
Makinde is seen as a technocrat with grassroots appeal, especially in the South-West, and his religious background as a Christian further strengthens his chances if the PDP decides to zone the presidency to the South.
On the other hand, Bala Mohammed is a respected politician in the North and has served as a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory before becoming Governor of Bauchi State. He was also a presidential aspirant in the 2022 PDP primaries, where he came third behind Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike.
The 2027 general election is still over two years away, but political discussions and speculations have already started. With the PDP looking to bounce back after losing the 2023 elections, the party appears to be weighing various options for ticket balance, popularity, and national appeal.
Bala Mohammed’s remarks are likely to spark more internal debate within the PDP, especially as the party prepares for its national convention and leadership decisions in the months ahead.
