2027: Niger APC Walk On Thin Ice As Dissent Trails Consensus

Internal dissent over consensus candidates is stirring tension within the Niger APC ahead of 2027, writes ABU NMODU.

The stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Niger State have resolved to adopt consensus to elect the party’s flagbearers during the forthcoming primaries.

The Niger State APC Chairman, Aminu Musa Bobi, explained that the expanded stakeholders’ meeting was convened to obtain stakeholders’ input on the mode of primary election to be adopted. He reassured them that he would continue to work for the overall growth and progress of the APC.

The resolution of the party at the end of the meeting showed that the stakeholders agreed to adopt consensus instead of direct primaries. It was the same system adopted last year during the November local government election in the state, and it left a bitter experience of internal wrangling.

It was therefore not surprising that some dissenting stakeholders spoke on the danger of settling for consensus candidates, hinging their argument on the possibility of losing sellable candidates who could win elections for the party and replacing them with candidates who may become liabilities during the general election.

They further argued that adopting the consensus method for the primaries would be like skating on thin ice and put the party in a difficult position of having to sell unsellable candidates during the general election, a development that could affect the party’s goodwill in the state.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reported that the stakeholders comprised foundation members and leaders, former governors and their deputies, elected officials, ministers, commissioners, party executives, and leaders at various levels, including local government chairmen, who would be expected to drive the process of consensus.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, who set the ball rolling at the meeting held at Hauwa Wali Multipurpose Hall, Government House, Minna, said APC executives in the state should remain neutral in the conduct of the party’s primary election.

He also said that no aspirant should give money to party officials, as doing so would amount to bribery. According to him, this was a way of preventing inducements that could make party tickets available to the highest bidder.

The governor apparently gave his nod to the consensus, highlighting its importance and stating that it would ease the party’s situation.

He, however, added that where consensus fails, arrangements would be made for direct primary elections as provided for in the new Electoral Act.

He said critical stakeholders of the APC across the 25 local government areas of the state would come together to produce the party’s consensus candidates for Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly positions within the next two weeks.

The governor advised the critical stakeholders to respect the zoning system in areas where it already exists, while areas without such arrangements should consider adopting it going forward.

He assured that all aspirants would be treated fairly and that the APC would continue to remain united and strong. The governor’s position sounded like that of a person seeking transparency, yet making the system susceptible to easy manipulation.

This fear was expressed by the immediate past deputy governor of Niger State, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, who expressed concern that aspirants were dropping the governor’s name as the anointed candidate.

He warned that where party leaders had interests, they should state them clearly instead of allowing people to spend their resources and time only to later be told, after the consensus process, that they were not the governor’s preferred candidate.

According to him, the experience during the last local government election in the state should not be repeated, as local government elections differ from general elections.

“There is a difference between being qualified to run an election and being acceptable to the people. If we must win elections, we must allow acceptable candidates to emerge at all levels,” he bluntly admonished.

Another party leader from Chanchaga, Baba Yakubu, also spoke in the same vein, stressing the need to allow acceptable candidates to emerge during the primaries.

The APC Vice Chairman, North Central, Mu’azu Bawa Rijau, the highest-ranking party executive from the state, said the APC would always stand for fairness by providing an enabling environment for all aspirants.

He also debunked rumours making the rounds that he had guaranteed automatic tickets for some aspirants, stressing that “I don’t have the powers to do so.”

Muhammad Idris called on all aspirants to accept the outcome of the primary elections and work collectively to ensure the party’s success in the general elections.

He also promised that he would continue to abide by the party’s decisions.

While some stakeholders spoke cautiously, a few were blunt, and from the applause that followed their comments, LEADERSHIP Sunday observed that many stakeholders were uncomfortable with the idea of consensus, which they feared could lead to imposition.

The immediate past governor of the state and senator representing Niger North, Abubakar Sani Bello, for instance, appeared to align with his former deputy, Ketso, while calling for justice in the selection of the party’s flag bearers.

The dissenting voices urged the party’s state leadership to balance party unity with competitiveness.

They observed that while consensus could reduce post-primary litigation and costs, it must not come at the expense of fielding the most sellable candidates.

Electability concerns raised by dissenting speakers stemmed from fears that consensus could sideline aspirants with proven grassroots appeal in favour of candidates chosen by a few power brokers.

The fears also bordered on internal democracy, as members argued that competitive primaries test candidate strength and confer legitimacy on the party before voters, warning that skewed processes could create the impression that democratic values had been compromised.

The situation has become even more precarious as supporters of various candidates have continued to make allegations about plans to sponsor aspirants to serve as spoilers or to upstage certain contenders.

Most glaring in the political space is the contest for the Niger East ticket, where Mohammed Sani Musa, the incumbent senator, is set to face Bello Bawa Bwari, who resigned as Director-General of the Biosafety Agency to contest.

A supporter of Senator Sani Musa and youth mobiliser, Shooabu Aweisu Wana, however, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that, based on the achievements of the senator and within the democratic space, the senator was ready for any challenge.

He said, “We are in a democracy; every citizen has the right to contest,” while dismissing any insinuation of bad blood between the governor and the senator. He added that they were ready to work for the victory of both the governor and the senator because of what he described as their impressive performances.

Also, one of the supporters of Barrister Bello Bwari, Yahaya Adamu Idrees, said they were promoting Bwari’s aspiration in the interest of fairness.

He said the support for Bello Bwari was aimed at balancing the political space and ensuring fairness, noting that the area within the zone needed a chance, and that Bello Bwari had the capacity.

Despite the assurances and arguments marshalled by supporters of both senatorial aspirants, it was learnt that supporters of Senator Sani Musa were accusing the governor of allowing his close associate, Barrister Bello Bwari, to resign from the Biosafety Agency as Director-General to contest against one of his strongest supporters in the 2023 elections.

It was also learnt that, whichever way the governor acts, his actions or inaction would be subject to suspicion if consensus eventually produces either of the two aspirants.

In Niger South, the scenario is different, as rumours of an automatic ticket for Peter Ndalikali, who recently defected to the APC, have reportedly forced more than seven aspirants who had begun groundwork for their ambitions over a year ago to speak quietly about the possibility of betrayal.

Among the aspirants for Niger South is Sani Idris Legbo Kutigi, who was the PDP governorship aspirant in 2023 and was reportedly promised the senatorial ticket before defecting to the APC immediately after the 2023 general election. He had served in the House of Representatives alongside the governor and remained a close ally.

LEADERSHIP Sunday findings revealed that without free, fair, and credible primaries, no consensus can be reached among the aspirants in Niger State, triggering backlash.

The immediate past senator representing Niger South, Mohammed Bima Enagi, who is also among the aspirants, said it was not true that anyone from the zone had been promised an automatic ticket or designated as a consensus candidate.

The senator, who lost to Senator Ndalikali of the PDP in 2023, is also in the race alongside six others, including Ndalikali, who defected to the APC only last month.

He told LEADERSHIP Sunday during an interview after a consultation meeting at the IBB Pen House, Minna, that he was confident the governor, as leader of the party, would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants.

There were unconfirmed speculations that external forces had insisted that Ndalikali should be given an automatic ticket based on certain considerations. LEADERSHIP Sunday, however, gathered that some aspirants had vowed to work against the APC if Ndalikali, who only recently defected to the party, was given the automatic ticket as a consensus candidate over long-standing party members who had invested heavily in their aspirations.

It was based on this fear that a former deputy governor of the state and APC chieftain, Ahmed Ibeto, admonished aspirants to accept the outcome of the primaries and work for the party, while urging stakeholders responsible for the consensus process to be fair and just.

Ibeto advised that “the aspirants should consider justice and fairness in the choices to be made.

If the process is conducted fairly, they must accept the outcome even if they do not emerge as the consensus candidate.”

The only zone that has remained relatively calm is Niger North. In the zone, the immediate past governor of the state, Abubakar Sani Bello, is the serving senator.

Although rumours had emerged that he was planning to move to the ADC, he later dismissed the speculation, even as he openly admitted that many electorates were unhappy with the party.

It was learnt that some of his supporters had already moved to the APC after hearing of plans to field the member representing Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency against him.

Although it was unclear whether the plan was still ongoing, his possible exit would have dealt a major blow to the party, considering his popularity in the zone.

According to Mohammed Yahaya Baba, a veteran political analyst and publisher of Niger Watch, who has participated in various elections, Senator Sani Musa of Niger East, seeking a third term, and Senator Abubakar Sani Bello were not political lightweights who could be easily discarded.

He maintained that if the situation was not properly managed, some people could withdraw from the APC and work against the party.

He said, for instance, there were speculations that some forces were working against Senator Sani Musa, whom he described as a political heavyweight in the state, while others claimed Senator Ndalikali had been promised an automatic ticket.

“If those speculations come to fruition, then there will definitely be backlash,” he warned.

He added that whichever way the party chooses to go, it must tread cautiously lest it becomes consumed by internal wrangling. According to him, the party must be seen as fair and just to all.

At present, the APC in Niger State has opted for consensus. It now remains to be seen how the party will skate through the thin ice of consensus amid visible dissent and growing doubts over the ability of the critical stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of making consensus choices.