Former Nigeria’s Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has kicked against the sudden consensus arrangement in which Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and former Senate President, Bukola Sarki emerged as the choice of the party, saying that he had never been party to the consensus arrangement.
In a statement issued today, April 23, by Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, the technical committee for the actualization of Atiku Àbubakar Presidency in 2023, Atiku complained that he never subjected himself to the process.
Atku made it clear that he is not bound by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report.
“Waziri Atiku Abubakar, as a nationalist, strongly believes that Nigeria has never been so divided as it is today, and any regional, zonal, ethno-religious gang-up or consensus-driven in this manner will further deepen and widen the wounds that urgently require to be healed. He is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria
“We urge our supporters to continue with consultations and town hall meetings with delegates across the country as the party prepares for the presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday/ Sunday May 28 and 29, 2022.”
Names of Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor Bala Mohammed had been announced yesterday, April 22, as the consensus candidates of the PDP for the North.
According to the chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, who made the announcement in Minna, Niger State capital, the choice of the two aspirants had been reached after the four aspirants began the process to reach a consensus by visiting former military president, Babangida and giving him the mandate to lead the process for a consensus.
The aspirants who he said agreed to abide by the outcome of the decision, were Tambuwal, Mohammed, Atiku and former banker, Muhammad Hayatu-Deen.
The former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) had pointed out that ex-president Babangida had advised the aspirants to have a resolution within themselves and come up with one candidate, which they reported back to him after some days and asked him to go ahead and pick one out of the four.
Prof. Abdullahi said in a statement: “While thanking the aspirants and President Ibrahim Babangida for entrusting us with the conduct of this exercise and in the hope that all parties involved would continue with mutual consultations aimed at the overall success of the party, we hereby present the following conclusion as presented to and endorsed by Gen Babangida.
“For the purpose of this exercise, it is hereby resolved that Gov Bala Mohammad from the North East and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North Central be presented as the northern Consensus Candidates for the moment.”
