By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors? Forum, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, says he is not defecting from the party.

Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the Publicity and Communications Sub-Committee for the forthcoming PDP convention, said this while speaking with newsmen on Saturday.

He spoke after the inaugural meeting of the sub-committee in Abuja.

?I assure you I am not going anywhere.

?I am in PDP and my state has no element of division,?? he said.

He, however, said that while he was more than concerned over some members of his forum defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), he had no control over them because they were of equal status.

?As a leader of a group of equal status, I cannot determine the decisions or inactions of my colleagues, but certainly, a lot of work is being done behind the scenes.

?This defection would have been more devastating at the onset, but we have been talking and discussing,?? he said.

He noted that some of the defecting governors left because they were being coerced.

?Sometimes it is done because of permutations and calculations.

?I will not denigrate or speak negatively about my colleagues, but

?I assure you I am not going anywhere. I am in PDP,? he said.

Mohammed also advised those leaving the PDP to stop demarketing it because they were leaving.

On litigations ahead of the party?s national convention, Mohammed said the party?s leadership was doing everything possible to address them.

He noted that many of the litigations were created to undermine the party

?At the state level, I have even seen some people taking us to court not to go for a convention.

?This is not good and makes some at the National Assembly feel unsafe.

?We are addressing these issues squarely,? he said.

On speculations that Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State was leaving the party, Mohammed said that the governor was yet to inform the party of his position.

?I have discussed this issue with him separately, and he has given me his assurances.

?He?s a governor like me, and I respect him and his decisions,?? he said.

He also stated that the Deputy Chairman of the party?s governors? forum, Gov. Siminalaye Fubura of Rivers, still remained a PDP member.

?He is a humble young man who has gone through so much and has done well to accommodate all the problems and challenges he found himself in.

?Certainly, he is still in PDP, and to me, he is still my deputy,? he said.

On the speculation that former President Goodluck Jonathan would contest the 2027 election on the party?s platform, Mohammed said they were happy that prominent persons were still associated with the party.

Speaking earlier at the sub-committee?s inaugural meeting, Mohammed advised party members not to be disturbed by the issue of defection.

Mohammed also maintained that nothing would stop the party?s national convention scheduled for Nov. 15 in Ibadan, saying ?this convention is here to stay.?

?By the grace of God, no Jupiter will stop us; no dark forces will succeed over us,? he said. (NAN)

Update news