Three People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirants met in Bauchi on Sunday Bauchi and agreed on a path to produce a consensus candidate for the party in the 2023 general elections.
They are former Senate President Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambulwa, and host Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
The meeting, which held at the Presidential Lodge, Bauchi, last for over three hours and had in attendance Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraji, for National Chairman of the PDP, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, for Deputy Governor of Zamfara State.
Bukola Saraki , who briefed the media on the outcome of their meeting, said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was not part of the agreement because he was not in attendance.
The former Kwara State Governor said they decided to enter into agreement to unite the PDP and offer a better platform for Nigerians as the ruling All Progressives Congress has failed.
“We came here to meet Governor Bala Mohammed. We have been in discussion or over two hours. This is an initiative of a few of us looking at what is currently happening in the APC in the country,” he said.
He said the trio agreed that the stability of the party and the county was more important than their ambitions for 2023.
“Our concern is the hardship our people are going through, the coast of living and also looking ahead towards 2023”
He argued that the PDP is the only viable option for Nigeria today hence the decision to enter into a consensus.
“As key stakeholders we felt we should sit down and meet and put heads together and see how best to give leadership and direction.
“We met and discussed that for 2023 and in trying to rescue this country and the growth of the country is more important than individual ambitions.
“We struck the need for us to work together. We believe that the three of us working together harmoniously, committed and with a lot of reserved energy, there will be great hope for this country.
“Three of us have shown aspirations to lead this county but we have also come to realize that we are all capable, competed to lead this country and at the end of the day only one person will lead this country in 2023.
“We also resolved that we are going to work closely to come out with a way to ensure that a consensus arrangement will come among three of us lead this country”
Bukola Saraki believed that the path he has entered with Bala Mohammed and Tambuiwal was historical.
“We believe our role is to make things easier for us to have stability because if there is stability in PDP, there will be stability in Nigeria,” he stated
“We have all seen that APC is no longer a party, it is having challenges of administering its party and anybody that cannot administer its party cannot administer the country.
“The only option left for Nigerians is PDP and we believe that because of that level of responsibility we must step down our personal ambition for this country to move forward.
“I appreciate and thank my colleagues because today is momentous to achieving what we have come to agree on.
“We are men of honour and men of integrity and we believe that what we have done today will lay the foundation for a great future for this country”
He said that although some of us have shown aspiration and even gone ahead to buy nomination forms, he maintained that it is part of the process.
“What we have done today supersedes that,” he stated.
“We tell our supporters to reduce rhetoric, we are family., the fight is not among ourselves. What we have achieved today for sure I can assure Nigerians that the end is bright or us. I thank the two governors and all who brought this initiative. What we have done today is to assure Nigerians that PDP is ready. Whatever aspirations we have, we agreed to work together and Nigeria comes first. We also have senior brother in Waziri (Alhaji Bello Kirfi) We will briefed him and ensure we continue to work in that line”
On whether former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was part of the consensus, Saraki stated, “We cannot speak on behalf of anybody who is not here. Those of us who have shown interest we are aware of other aspirants. There is only one aspirant rom the south but it is important that PDP unites”
He argued that happened in Kwara is similar to what has happened in Nigeria.
“People have come under propaganda and promises that were never delivered. It is the people themselves that are speaking for us. They have seen the difference between the PDP government and the APC government and I am confident that come 2023., PDP will come to power again in Kwara state because the difference is clear.