Nigeria: PDP Presidential Hopefuls Tambuwal, Mohammed, Saraki Opt for Consensus Candidate

By Derrick Bangura

 

On Sunday, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State welcomed his counterpart from Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and a former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to a consensus-building initiative among aspirants of northern descent for the position of President in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

The three leaders gathered for almost two and a half hours at the Government House in Bauchi, seeking the PDP’s nomination to compete for the country’s top position.

A statement by the Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Bauchi governor, Muhammad Bello, stated: “At the close of the meeting they posited that it is their considered resolution that against the backdrop of the failure of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide good governance, all those seeking to be president under the PDP should unite and rally round one candidate”.

 

The trio from the three geopolitical zones in the Northern part of the country – NorthCentral, North East and North West – also agreed that at a later date, they would visit former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, another presidential hopeful from the North East, to brief him on the outcome of their brainstorm.

 

Saraki, who briefed journalists after the meeting, also said, “We appreciate that all of us have shown ambition but only one person could lead. For this reason, we decided that we should all embrace consensus going forward in order to make things easier for our party’s stability,” Saraki stated.

He pointed out that their convergence, taking cognizance of the sorry state of the country and its people, which the APC was not ready to alleviate, was convinced that the PDP must lead the way in the march to rescue the country in 2023.

 

He said although all of them seeking the number one position were all qualified to contest, “We are ready to sacrifice our ambitions. We have agreed to put our heads together and see how best to provide leadership and direction for this country, its unity, stability and progress.

 

“These are more important than our individual ambitions, thus, the need for us to work together. Today, is momentous. The PDP is ready, because what is important is Nigeria. Whatever we do, Nigeria should come first,” the former Senate President further added.

 

While Governor Tambuwal was accompanied by a former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, and a Chieftain of the PDP in Sokoto State, Bello Suleiman, Saraki came along with a former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and others.

The Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Baba Tela, was also present at the press briefing.