Amidst controversy trails the alleged emergence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Northern consensus candidate ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has said that presidential aspirants who either did not participate or not comfortable with the consensus arrangement, which produced former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and himself as the North’s preferred presidential aspirants are free to contest the primary.
Mohammed, in a statement by the spokesman of his presidential campaign organization, Udenta Udenta, on Sunday, said he would not join issues with anyone, on the consensus arrangement, but would rather focus on rallying the country, round his “Nigeria first” governance vision.
Some Northern elders, led by former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), had on Friday named the Bauchi governor and Saraki as the North consensus aspirants for the PDP 2023 presidential ticket.
However, the development greeted wih rejections and mixed reactions, with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen amongst others distancing themselves from the arrangement.
Nevertheless, the Bauchi governor, while expressing appreciation to Babangida, for leading the team that picked the consensus candidates, urged those who are not happy with the outcome to focus on their individual “trajectories” and not “muddy” the political waters further.
The statement read in part: “We wish to place it on record that Gen. Babangida never approached nor lobbied anybody to superintend the process that will lead to the emergence of a Consensus Presidential Aspirant. Rather it was the group of Presidential aspirants made up of Sen. Bala Mohammed, Rt Hon Aminu Tambuwal. Sen. Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen that collectively, freely and willingly approached Gen Babangida to help select from amongst themselves a consensus presidential aspirant.
“The above four named individuals not only initiated the Consensus Arrangement on their own volition but also agreed to fully and unequivocally abide by the decision that Gen Babangida will arrive at in consultation with other elders as well as accept, honour the steps and procedures he will deploy in arriving at any decision.
“We therefore reject the current insinuations in the media from some quarters that purport that Gen Babangida and the elders either did not consult very widely or imposed a decision on an unwilling band of presidential aspirants. Gen Babangida and elders deserve nothing but commendation for the conclusions they reached and the outcome of the Consensus exercise by anybody who believes in the tenets of truth, honour and integrity.
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“The Campaign Organization, however advises all those who are not happy with the result of the selection process or who did not participate in it to focus on their individual political trajectories without let or hindrance and not muddy the political waters any further.”
