 remains fully committed to conducting fair, credible, and transparent primary){kind=link}
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains fully committed to conducting fair, credible, and transparent primary elections if ongoing consultations fail to produce a unanimous consensus ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governor Buni stated that while the party had adopted Baba Mallam Wali as its preferred candidate following resolutions reached during a stakeholders’ meeting held on April 23, 2026, the APC had not ruled out democratic primaries should disagreements persist among aspirants and stakeholders.
“The emergence of Baba Mallam Wali as the preferred candidate of the party followed the resolutions of the critical stakeholders meeting,” the governor said.
“He was endorsed and adopted as the preferred candidate, but if there is no general agreement, we shall adopt the election mode.”
The governor emphasized that the APC remains committed to participatory democracy and internal fairness, noting that consensus arrangements are not intended to suppress democratic competition within the party.
Buni recalled that he personally experienced a similar political situation during the 2019 governorship race when some aspirants challenged his emergence as a consensus candidate, forcing the party to conduct primaries.
“This is not new. In 2019, I was nominated as a consensus candidate, a few other aspirants contested the decision, and we went for election where I emerged as the party’s candidate with a very wide margin. We are ready to repeat that history if we cannot reach consensus,” he stated.
The governor disclosed that consultations and dialogue were still ongoing among party leaders, stakeholders, and aspirants in a bid to reach an amicable understanding capable of preserving unity within the ruling party.
According to him, maintaining peace and political stability within the APC remains his foremost priority as governor and a founding member of the party.
“We are talking to each other and reaching out to stakeholders, including the aspirants, to arrive at an amicable solution,” he explained.
“As the governor of the state, I will be the happiest person to see the state and party peaceful and united. We remain citizens of Yobe State and members of APC.”
Governor Buni further stressed that the unity and survival of the APC remain deeply personal to him due to his longstanding role within the party as a founding member, former National Secretary, and former National Chairman.
“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,” he said.
The governor expressed optimism that all aspirants seeking public office within the party were motivated by the desire to serve the people and improve the living conditions of citizens across the state.
He described Yobe State as a model of political transparency and participatory democracy, insisting that the state would continue to uphold the principle of “politics without bitterness.”
“Yobe State is proudly a leading example of political transparency, internal and participatory democracy. We shall continue to uphold these principles to promote the policy of politics without bitterness,” Buni declared.
The governor also assured party members that the APC leadership would ensure inclusiveness and equal opportunities for all aspirants regardless of political alignments.
He urged members of the party to remain united and continue mobilizing support for the APC ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the ultimate goal of the party is not only to maintain political dominance in Yobe State but also to secure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition and all APC candidates contesting various elective positions.
“We are all working for the good of the state,” the governor said.
“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.”
Political observers believe Governor Buni’s remarks were aimed at calming growing tensions within the APC over succession politics and candidate selection ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Analysts also noted that the governor’s insistence on transparent primaries, if consensus collapses, may help strengthen confidence among party members and reduce the risk of internal divisions capable of affecting the APC’s electoral fortunes in Yobe State.
The APC continues to dominate the political landscape in Yobe, with the party maintaining strong grassroots structures and influence across the state.
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