Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, and Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State Governor, have denied being part of the process leading to the selection of any Northern consensus candidate.
In separate statements by their Media teams, made available to BusinessDay, in Abuja, the two leading aspirants for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 Presidential ticket, stated that they were never a party to Northern Consensus Arrangement.
The Technical Committee for the actualization of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency in 2023, in the statement, stated that the former Vice President was not bound by the outcome of the declaration.
“ 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”
“Waziri Atiku Abubakar MA, GCON Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999-2007 was NEVER a part of this purported consensus arrangement and did not subject himself to this process”
The statement which described Atiku Abubakar as a “nationalist”, who “strongly believes that Nigeria has never been so divided as it is today, and any regional, zonal, ethnoreligious 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
Similarly, the Tambuwal Campaign Organization (TCO), in a statement titled “Consensus Drive Failed, I’m Not Part of Any Agreement”
Tambuwal said he was absent from the Friday meeting at Minna, Niger State, following an earlier conclusion on Wednesday that the consensus approach had failed.
He also observed that contrary to the resolution which produced two consensus candidates, what was canvassed for was one consensus candidate and not two.
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The statement which was signed by Director Organization and Mobilization for TCO, Nicholas Msheliza said the “attention of Tambuwal Campaign Organization (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.
“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.”
According to the statement, “ 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 on the same day was aborted unilaterally by Sen. Saraki via a WhatsApp message”
“However, on Thursday, 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.
Governor Tambuwal stated further that haven “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 primaries.
“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”
Recall that the Ango Abdullahi led Northern group, had at a press conference in Minna on Friday, announced the group has selected Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and former Senate President Bukola Saraki as “ Northern Consensus Candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, ahead of the party’s primaries slated for May 29, 2022.
