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OBIORA IFOH, Abuja
Vice President Atiku Abubakar has again restated that he was never a party to Northern Consensus arrangement and that any outcome from the Minna declaration was not binding on him.
Similarly, the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal has also distanced himself from the outcome of Northern consensus arrangement arguing that he was not carried along with the final decision which produced former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed as choice of the North.
Both Saraki and Mohammed emerged as the northern consensus at the meeting held at the home of former military president Ibrahim Babangida in Minna, Niger state. Both Tambuwal and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen lost out.
In a statement by the Technical Committee for the actualization of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency in 2023, the former Vice President said he was never a part of the purported consensus arrangement and did not subject himself to the process.
“Therefore, he is Not bound by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report.
Waziri Atiku Abubakar as a nationalist strongly believes that Nigeria has never been so divided as it is today, and any regional, zonal, ethno-religious gangup or consensus driven in this manner will further deepen and widen the wounds that urgently require to be healed. He is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria.”
Also, the Tambuwal Campaign Organization (TCO) has said the outcome of the Minna meeting was not a reflection of what really transpired.
Nicholas Msheliza who is the Director Organization and Mobilization of Tambuwal Campaign Organization said, “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.”
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