Saraki, Bala Mohammed emerge Northern PDP presidential consensus aspirants

Following an agreement among four northern Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants to reach a consensus among themselves, the number of aspirants has been pruned to two. These are Gov Bala Mohammed from the North East and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North Central.

The four aspirants who made the initial agreement are Gov Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, Gov Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Hayatu-deen. 

The number of two was reached after the four aspirants began the process to reach a consensus by visiting former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida and giving him the mandate to lead the process for a consensus. They agreed to abide by the outcome of the decision. 

The former president encouraged the aspirants to have a resolution within themselves and come up with one candidate, which they reported back to him after some days and asked him to go ahead and pick one out of the four.

General Babangida on his part opted for inclusion, through wider consultation with elders and leaders across the three geopolitical zones of the North. The process was conducted in three stages that included assessing the aspirants, their geopolitical zones and previous experiences of the PDP.

In a statement signed by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, “While thanking the aspirants and President Ibrahim Babangida for entrusting us with the conduct of this exercise and in the hope that all parties involved would continue with mutual consultations aimed at the overall success of the party, we hereby present the following conclusion as presented to and endorsed by Gen Babangida.

“For the purpose of this exercise, it is hereby resolved that Gov Bala Mohammad from the North East and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North Central be presented as the northern Consensus Candidates for the moment.”