Six governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Yobe State have rejected the alleged endorsement of a consensus candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election, insisting that the process violates provisions of the Electoral Act and the APC constitution.
In a joint statement obtained on Thursday, the aspirants warned that any attempt to impose a candidate without proper consultation and democratic procedures could trigger division and tension within the party in the state.
The aggrieved aspirants include former Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; Senator representing Yobe South, Ibrahim Bomai; former Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Maihaja; former FCT Mandate Secretary for Youths and Sports, Lawan Geidam; former board member of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Kashim Tumsah; and former Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Bashir Machina.
Consensus Candidate
The development follows the alleged endorsement of former Secretary to the State Government, Baba Wali, as preferred successor by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and other APC stakeholders.
According to the aspirants, the alleged endorsement does not conform with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC constitution governing consensus candidacy.
“The purported endorsement of a particular candidate as the APC governorship consensus candidate does not conform with the requirements and provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC Constitution. No individual or group has the authority to impose a candidate on party members without following due process,” the statement read.
They maintained that the issue was beyond personal ambition and centered on protecting internal democracy and fairness within the ruling party.
The aspirants argued that where genuine consensus cannot be reached among all contenders, the party should conduct a direct primary election to allow members decide the candidate.
According to them, a transparent direct primary would give party members a sense of belonging and reduce the risk of internal disputes.
“If consensus is not properly negotiated and agreed upon by all parties involved, then the best option is to allow party members to decide through a free, fair, transparent and credible direct primary election conducted in line with APC guidelines,” they stated.
The group also expressed concerns over the role of the Yobe APC Chairman, Mohammed Gadaka, accusing him of partisanship and alleging that his actions had undermined confidence in the process.
They demanded his immediate withdrawal from activities relating to the conduct and supervision of the governorship primary election.
“Following the continuous apparent partisanship displayed by the Yobe State APC Chairman, it has become clear to us that he is compromised and cannot be trusted to conduct or supervise a free, fair, transparent and credible primary election,” one of the aspirants stated.
Commitment to Process
Despite the disagreement, the aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and pledged support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his 2027 re-election bid.
They stressed that their position on the governorship contest should not be interpreted as opposition to the party’s national leadership, but rather as a call for fairness, justice, and credibility in the candidate selection process
