Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remains open to transparent primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections if party stakeholders fail to reach consensus on candidate selection. The governor stated that the party had not ruled out direct elections for aspirants seeking contestable offices in the state.
The development follows ongoing consultations within the APC in Yobe State over the emergence of a governorship candidate for the 2027 election cycle. Party stakeholders had earlier endorsed Baba Mallam Wali, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, as the preferred governorship candidate after a stakeholders’ meeting held on April 23, 2026.
However, the endorsement has faced opposition from other aspirants within the party, including former Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, and Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai, both of whom obtained nomination and expression of interest forms to contest the governorship seat. The disagreement has renewed calls for transparent primaries to determine the party’s candidate through a broader democratic process.
Speaking through a statement issued by his Director General of Press and Media Affairs, Mallam Mohammed Mamman, Governor Buni said the APC remained committed to fair participation and internal democracy. According to him, “if there is no general agreement, we shall adopt the election mode.”
The governor recalled that a similar situation occurred in 2019 when he emerged as the party’s consensus candidate before some aspirants challenged the arrangement, leading to an election process which he eventually won. He stated that the party was willing to repeat the process if consensus efforts failed.
Buni also stressed that the APC leadership in the state was still engaging aspirants and stakeholders to achieve an amicable resolution. He described Yobe as “a leading example of political transparency, internal and participatory democracy,” adding that the state would continue to uphold the principles of transparent primaries and politics without bitterness.
The governor further urged party members to remain united ahead of the elections and support whoever eventually emerges through consensus or transparent primaries. He emphasized that maintaining party cohesion was necessary for the APC to retain political control in the state and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
The debate over candidate selection in Yobe reflects broader discussions within Nigerian political parties regarding consensus arrangements and internal democracy ahead of the 2027 elections. Political observers say the outcome of the APC consultations in Yobe could influence how other state chapters manage aspirant disagreements and leadership succession processes.
The governor’s support for transparent primaries may also help ease tensions among party members seeking a more competitive and participatory selection process.
