Michael Onwuka, Enugu
Former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, says the purported emergence of former Senate President, Alhaji Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, as northern consensus candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential ticket is undemocratic.
Lamido disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Dutse.
Recall that the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had on June 23 announced Saraki and Mohammed as the consensus presidential candidates from northern Nigeria ahead of the May 28 presidential primaries of the PDP.
The Chairman, NEF, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, had in a communique, said the election of the duo was arrived at based on certain criteria adopted in the assessment of the four aspirants who submitted themselves for such purpose.
However, Lamido, a founding member of the PDP, distanced himself from the move, adding that such was injurious to the party.
He also said that the position of the Northern Elders was capable of creating more confusion rather than promoting unity and progress in the party.
The former governor likened the position of the group as a mere personal opinion which do not in any way represent the collective interest of party stakeholders in the region.
According to Lamido, such decision is not the position of the PDP members in northern Nigeria.
“Having consulted party leaders across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, it is hereby, stated that what is reported in the media is the personal opinion of those who issued the statement.
“Discussions are ongoing with all the aspirants in our party with a view to having a national consensus if possible or at least working towards having a smooth national convention free from acrimony,” Lamido said.
