Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could abandon its consensus arrangement and conduct direct primaries ahead of the 2027 governorship election if disagreements within the party persist.
Gov. Buni issued the warning while reacting to opposition from six governorship aspirants who rejected the endorsement of Baba Wali as the APC’s preferred candidate, during a stakeholders’ meeting held on April 23, 2026.
The governor said the party had not ruled out a return to direct primaries, recalling the APC’s 2019 governorship contest in Yobe, which he won through a competitive internal election.
“The party has not foreclosed the direct election mode,” Gov. Buni said.
“We are ready to repeat that history if there is no general agreement. If there is no general agreement, we shall adopt the election mode.”
The aggrieved aspirants, Ibrahim Bomoi, Bashir Machina, Kashim Musa-Tumsah, Mustapha Maihaja, Lawan Kolo, and former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Baba, have demanded what they described as a “credible direct primary election.”
The aspirants faulted the adoption of Wali at the stakeholders’ meeting, arguing that the process undermined internal democracy within the ruling party.
However, Gov. Buni maintained that Wali “was endorsed and adopted” by party stakeholders, while emphasizing that consultations were still ongoing to preserve unity within the APC.
The governor said the party leadership was committed to dialogue and reconciliation in order to keep the APC “peaceful and united” ahead of the 2027 elections.
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According to him, the APC’s broader objective is to mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu and secure victory for all party candidates in the next general election.
“We must promote unity and generate more support for the party,” Gov. Buni said, adding that the APC would continue efforts to “give everyone a sense of belonging” while positioning itself for electoral success.
The dispute over the Yobe governorship succession plan is expected to intensify in the coming weeks, setting the stage for a potentially fierce contest within the APC as the party seeks to maintain its dominance in the state.
