By Adesuwa Tsan
365Daily – The Tambuwal Campaign Organisation (TCO) has distanced itself from a consensus agreement that purportedly endorsed former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Gov. Bala Muhammad of Bauchi State as northern consensus candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Minna, Niger State.
A report by a daily newspaper said the notice of the emergence of the duo was communicated via a communique of a meeting of the committee of northern leaders and presidential aspirants in the party.
It added that the committee screened out the Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen based on its resolve that a leading aspirant from the North-central and one from the North-east are to be presented as northern presidential candidates.
They were directed “to make further concessions so that in the end, one of them would be presented as the consensus candidate.”
But in a reaction, Gov. Tambuwal said he will go ahead and present himself for the presidential ticket of the party on May 28 because talks for the consensus in reference had not yieled any result.
TCO said in a press statement signed on April 22, 2022, by its Director, Organisation and Mobilisation, Nicholas Msheliza: “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 of 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.
“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.”