Politics

Consensus Candidate: Emergence Of Saraki, Bala Mohammed Divides PDP, Northern Elders

Published

4 years ago

April 30, 2022

Editor

The emergence of Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State as the preferred aspirants for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket has failed to achieve the desired outcome of presenting a united front against the ruling APC.

Messrs Saraki and Mohammed, alongside Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Hayatu-Deen had resolved to go into the consensus arrangement to reduce the number of aspirants going into the battle for the ticket.

After weeks of moving around the country, the consensus arrangement, brokered by the former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida and announced by Ango Abdullahi, selected the two aspirants but was rejected by both Mr Tambuwal and Mr Hayatu-Deen.

Mr Tambuwa, who had earlier expressed optimism in the arrangement, was the first to back out after the duo of Saraki and Mohammed emerged from the process. He had said, “So far, I am the frontline aspirant, our thinking, our prayer and hope is that the consensus will go my way.”

The Sokoto State Governor had in a statement by his spokesperson, Nicholas Msheliza, said the consensus talks collapsed, hence, all the parties involved had unanimously agreed that the talk was not progressing and the statement should have been to announce the collapse, not the emergence of any candidate.

The same position was maintained by Hayatudeen, whose campaign office issued a statement, accusing the brokers of working towards a preconceived outcome. Noting that it “was designed to achieve a preconceived outcome.”

Recently, Hayatudeen, while appearing on Arise TV, said Mr Saraki reneged on the agreement reached by the four aspirants that the consensus arrangement is not working.

The business tycoon said the other aspirants were shocked by the announcement by the NEF

Aside from the division in the party, the consensus arrangement is also affecting the Northern Elders Forum, as Mr Ango had to clarify that the consensus was not by NEF, but rather, a personal task, done on behalf of Mr Babangida.

Similarly, the NEF Director (Publicity and Advocacy), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, had in a statement on Sunday distanced the group from the endorsement of both Saraki and Mohammed.

Mr Baba-Ahmed said the “former President (Babangida) requested Prof Ango in his capacity to design and manage a process that could improve a consensus agreement among the four aspirants.” Adding that the “entire process did not involve the NEF as a group and is not a product of the group.”

Northern aspirants using consensus to cover clamour for power rotation

The decision to embark on a consensus arrangement was conceived amid the clamour by southern leaders for power to be zoned to the south after 8years of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is from Katsina State. Messrs Tambuwa, Saraki and Mohamed, had on different occasions argued against rotation to the south.

For Mr Tambuwal, his argument has been that the party should win the election first, before considering rotation, while Mr Mohammed argued on the basis that since Mr Buhari is a member of the APC, hence, the PDP is not obliged to zone its ticket to the south.

Despite moving across the country, the consensus arrangement appears to be a regional arrangement, except from Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who abstained from the arrangement, all the participants are from the North.

The consensus arrangement by the northern aspirants bear similarities with the 2010 consensus arrangement done by the Adamu Ciroma led 17-wisemen from the Northern Political Leaders Forum which produced Mr Atiku as the consensus aspirant.

The former Vice President was picked ahead of Mr Saraki, Mr Babangida and former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau.

Mr Atiku subsequently lost to Goodluck Jonathan at the PDP primary.

The 2010 arrangement was as a result of the clamour by Northern Politicians, who felt that the death of Umar Yar’adua disrupted the rotation arrangement and called for a northern candidate to complete Yar’adua’s tenure. It was a regional calculation.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been very vocal against the need for consensus arrangement, he even mocked them in several speeches while he was touring the country.

What seems to be clear, however, is that the Northern Consensus arrangement has failed to produce a candidate and has further divided the party and the north.

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Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

17 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”

Politics

2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate

Published

24 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.

He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”

DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.

The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.

Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Politics

Open Bank Account In PDP Name, See What Will Happen – Wike Dares Turaki Faction

Published

29 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday challenged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction led by Tanimu Turaki to open an official party bank account and secretariat if they truly believe they control the opposition party’s structure.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike accused some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and violating court judgments in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the PDP.

The former Rivers State governor insisted that the faction opposing the party’s recognised leadership lacked legal standing and could not lawfully operate the affairs of the party.

“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” Wike said.

He specifically challenged Taminu Turaki, SAN, and other leaders of the rival camp to test their claims by opening a bank account in the name of the PDP.

“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen,” he stated.

Wike argued that no bank would recognise such an account because the faction allegedly lacks the legally recognised party structure and documentation required to operate.

“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.

The FCT minister also warned against attempts to establish what he described as illegal party offices, vowing that any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Abuja would not be tolerated.

“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

Wike maintained that court judgments had already settled the dispute over the PDP leadership and convention issues, accusing some actors of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.

“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.

The minister further dismissed claims that the Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that the legal processes and decisions available supported his position and that of the recognised party leadership.

According to him, attempts to reinterpret the judgments outside the established legal context were aimed at confusing party members and the public.

Wike said he remained a committed member of the PDP and was only defending what he described as constitutional order and due process within the party.

PDP has remained embroiled in internal leadership disputes following disagreements over the party’s convention, caretaker arrangements and recognition of key national officers ahead of the 2027 general elections.