Uneasy calm in Niger APC as consensus arrangements collapse

• Only eight out of 25 LGAs agree on consensus

• We will be fair to all aspirants, Governor Bago assures as party heads for direct primaries

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From John Adams, Minna

There is an uneasy calm and an atmosphere of uncertainty in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Niger State chapter, as the state governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, push for consensus arrangements for all elective offices ahead of the forthcoming general elections, which appears to have hit a snag.

An indication of this emerged on Wednesday night after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House could not produce a positive result towards the consensus arrangements.

The governor had called for a stakeholders’ meeting involving five persons each from the 25 local government areas of the state with a view to agreeing on consensus arrangements in picking candidates ahead of the party primaries scheduled for next week.

However, after about six hours of negotiations, only eight out of the 25 local government areas agreed to embrace the consensus arrangements, which saw several aspirants step down from the race.

Aspirants from Chanchaga, Gurara, Rafi, Shiroro, Munya, Mariga, Kontagora and Bosso local government areas have agreed to embrace the consensus arrangements.

It was gathered that before the Wednesday night stakeholders’ meeting, the governor had continued to push ahead on the consensus arrangements, holding private meetings with some aspirants and critical stakeholders.

Although some aspirants may have accepted the arrangement, it has not gone down well with them, and this may fuel fears of possible anti-party activities during the general elections.

A chieftain of the party in the state and former commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has warned that any consensus arrangement may spell doom for the party in the general elections.

Vatsa said every aspirant should be given a level playing field to test his or her popularity before the electorate, pointing out that this will provide an opportunity to vote out non-performing leaders at all levels.

Speaking at the Wednesday stakeholders’ meeting, the governor, Umaru Bago, assured all aspirants of a free, fair and transparent direct primary election where consensus failed.

He said that discussions are still ongoing with aspirants to build consensus to reduce conflict and foster unity in the party.

The governor disclosed that the timetable for the primary elections has not been changed, saying that the primaries will be held at the headquarters of every ward across the state.

He cautioned aspirants against bringing thugs to disrupt the process, warning that such could lead to outright disqualification, adding that “any non-party member found wanting during the exercise would be dealt with decisively”.

The governor commended all the aspirants who embraced consensus and stepped down, stressing that the government will work closely with them and reward their sacrifices.