By Our Correspondent
National News – Six governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State have rejected an alleged consensus endorsement for the 2027 governorship race, escalating internal party tensions.
The aspirants, including Usman Alkali Baba, Ibrahim Bomai, Mustapha Maihaja, Lawan Geidam, Kashim Tumsah and Bashir Machina, said on Thursday in Damaturu that the endorsement allegedly favoured former Secretary to the State Government, Baba Wali.
They argued that the move, which is reportedly backed by Governor Mai Mala Buni and some stakeholders, violates the Electoral Act 2026 and APC constitution.
The group insisted that all aspirants must be allowed to participate in a transparent selection process, stressing fairness, internal democracy, and equal opportunity for all members ahead of the 2027 election in Nigeria.
The dispute highlights deepening political rift within the Yobe APC as stakeholders debate whether to adopt consensus or conduct direct primaries for selecting a governorship candidate.
The issue, which occurred in May 2026, centers on who has authority to determine the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 election.
The aspirants argued that the Electoral Act allows consensus only when freely agreed by all contestants, otherwise a direct primary must be held.
They warned that imposing a candidate without due process could trigger legal challenges and weaken party unity.
They called on party leadership to ensure neutrality and uphold democratic principles while managing the selection process in Yobe State, northern Nigeria.
We, therefore, demand the immediate withdrawal of the Yobe APC chairman, Mohammed Gadaka, from supervising the governorship primary, alleging bias in handling the process.
According to the aspirants, only a neutral body can guarantee credibility, transparency and fairness in line with the party constitution and Electoral Act 2026.
Despite the dispute over the candidate selection method, all six aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
They emphasized that their position is aimed at strengthening internal democracy, preventing division, and ensuring that members in Yobe State freely choose their governorship candidate.
