2023: Tambuwal fumes over emergence of Saraki, Mohammed as northern consensus candidate

 

Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, has said he was not part of the arrangement and agreement that selected and declared Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki as the “consensus candidates”.

Recall that Saraki and Mohammed on Wednesday were reported to have emerged as “consensus candidates” to represent the northern region in the race for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential primary.

Over the past months, four presidential hopefuls — Saraki, Bala Mohammed, Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, a former managing director of the now-defunct FSB International Bank – held consultations across the country on consensus candidacy.

According to a report signed by Ango Abdullahi, elder statesman, the four aspirants visited Ibrahim Babangida, former military ruler, and “gave him the mandate to lead the process for a consensus, and agreed to abide by the outcome of the decision”.

Abdullahi added that after several consultations with northern stakeholders, a three-phase approach was taken.

He disclosed that he made recommendations to Babangida, upon the conclusion of the consultations, which the latter approved.

However, reacting to the development, Tambuwal said the outcome of the exercise was against the spirit of the agreement reached at a previous meeting involving the four aspirants.

He added that he will contest the PDP presidential primary as planned, saying he opted out of the consensus arrangement sometime ago because they were not making headway.

“The attention of Tambuwal Campaign Organisation (TCO) has been drawn to a news item that former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Gov. Bala Muhammad of Bauchi state have emerged as consensus candidates from amongst the four of us announced at a meeting in Minna, Niger state,” a statement by Nicholas Msheliza, TCO director of mobilisation, reads.

“This is, to be candid and forthright, not correct. The correct situation is that the team met on Wednesday, 20th April, 2022, at Bauchi Governor’s lodge in Abuja and had a review meeting; and, unanimously agreed that the consensus arrangement was not working.

“The team further agreed that Sen. Saraki should come up with a draft statement on how to communicate this decision to the Nigerian public. This was the last time that members of the team sat and mutually agreed on anything. The proposed meeting to review and vet the statement scheduled for 10 pm of the same day was aborted unilaterally by Sen. Saraki via a WhatsApp message.

“However, on Thursday, April 21st, 2022, same Sen Saraki circulated yet another WhatsApp message suggesting that members of the team should head to Minna for a meeting on Friday. Gov. Tambuwal reached other members of the team and informed them that he stands by the decision of the team that the initiative is not working.

“This is the reason Gov. Tambuwal was absent at today’s (Friday) meeting in Minna. As a result, therefore, the outcome of the Minna meeting has no consequence or any implication on the aspiration of Gov. Tambuwal, who had earlier on informed his colleagues of maintaining their agreed position that the initiative has collapsed.

“Members of the public should be reminded that what was canvassed for was a consensus candidate and not consensus candidates. For the avoidance of doubt, Gov Tambuwal has submitted his presidential nomination forms and now that the quest for a consensus candidate out of the four has clearly collapsed, will go ahead and face screening and indeed contest the PDP presidential primary.

“This is in consonance with his acclaimed outlook as a pan-Nigerian candidate, with pedigree of national service as the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, life member of the Body of Benchers and now in his second and final term as Governor of Sokoto state.”