Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is committed to the conduct of free, fair and transparent primary election if consensus candidates fail to emerge.
Six governorship aspirants, Sen. Ibrahim Bomoi of Yobe South, Alhaji Bashir Machina, Mr. Kashim Musa-Tumsah, Mr. Mustapha Maihaja, Alhaji Lawan Kolo and retired Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Baba have rejected the endorsed candidate of the party’s critical stakeholders, Baba Wali and demanded the conduct of a credible direct primary election.
Buni said the party had not foreclosed direct election mode to produce its candidates for the contestable offices for the 2027 general election.
“The emergence of Baba Mallam Wali as the preferred candidate of the party, followed the resolutions of the critical stakeholders meeting of the 23rd April 2026.
“He was endorsed and adopted as the preferred candidate but if there is no general agreement, we shall adopt the election mode.
“This is not new. In 2019, l was nominated as a consensus candidate, a few other aspirants contested the decision, and we went for election where l emerged as the party’s candidate with a very wide margin. We are ready to repeat that history if we cannot reach consensus.”
The governor, however, said the party was still reaching out to the aggrieved aspirants and other stakeholders to arrive at an amicable resolution through dialogue.
”l will be the happiest person to see the state and party peaceful and united; we remain citizens of Yobe state and members of APC. My expectation is to see us more united and collectively working for our candidates to win the 2027 general election.
“As a founding member, former Secretary and National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, the unity and progress of the party means so much to me personally.
“I will continue to support and protect the ideals of the party to remain Nigeria’s ruling political party.” Buni expressed optimism that the aspirations of all aspirants for public office in the state were driven by a desire to serve the people for a better life.
According to him, Yobe is proudly a leading example of political transparency, internal and participatory democracy. We shall continue to uphold these principles to promote a politics without bitterness.
“I am proud to say we are all into this decision together with the critical Stakeholders to agree and support the party in the state, after all, we are all working for the good of the state.”
Buni assured that the party would give everyone a sense of belonging, and would continue supporting whoever emerged as its candidate for APC to win the presidential, governorship, and all the national and state assembly seats in the state.
“I call on all APC members in the state to promote unity and generate more support for the party to remain Yobe and Nigeria’s ruling political party to deliver the state to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term bid and all other candidates of the APC,” he emphasised.
