You Are Liars; No Agreement On Consensus—Tambuwal Tells Bala, Saraki
By Abdulllahi Idris,Bauchi
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has described as “not correct” a statement credited to Professor Ango Abdullahi led consensus committee that Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State Governor and Bukola Saraki, former Senate President have emerged as possible consensus candidates of the North in the 2023 elections on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party.
In a press statement issued by the Director of Organisation and Mobilisation of the Tambuwal Campaign Organisation (TCO) on Friday, Mr Nicholas Msheliza there was no agreement among the trio that Mr Saraki and Mr Mohammed were the consensus candidates of the North.
The statement faulted the Professor Ango Abdullahi led consensus committee; noting that the action has necessitated Tambuwal to pull out of the consensus move.
“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.
“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”, the statement read in part.
Tambuwal said the initiative of the consensus candidate had already collapsed, arguing that the trio had acknowledged its failures in several correspondences among them.
“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.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Gov Tambuwal has 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,” Msheliza stated.
Media reports have credited the Professor Ango Abdullahi led consensus committee as endorsing Bala Mohammed and Bukola Saraki as consensus candidates.
