Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has declared that the All Progressives Congress, APC, remains committed to transparent APC primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections if stakeholders fail to agree on a consensus arrangement. The governor stated that the party has not ruled out direct primary elections to determine candidates for governorship and other elective positions in the state. His position was contained in a statement issued in Damaturu by the Director General of Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, Mallam Mohammed Mamman.
Governor Buni explained that the emergence of Baba Mallam Wali as the party’s preferred governorship candidate followed resolutions reached during a critical stakeholders’ meeting held on April 23, 2026. He noted, however, that the party would still proceed with elections if consensus discussions fail to secure broad agreement among aspirants and stakeholders.
According to the governor, “This is not new. In 2019, I was nominated as a consensus candidate, a few other aspirants contested the decision, and we went for election where I emerged as the party’s candidate with a very wide margin. We are ready to repeat that history if we cannot reach consensus.”
Political consultations within the Yobe APC have intensified ahead of the 2027 elections as governorship aspirants continue mobilisation and stakeholder engagement across the state. Baba Mallam Wali, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, was recently endorsed by key party stakeholders as the preferred governorship candidate.
However, two prominent aspirants, former Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali and Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai, have opposed the endorsement arrangement and publicly declared support for direct primary elections. Both politicians have already obtained nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for the APC governorship ticket.
The debate surrounding transparent APC primaries has therefore become central to ongoing political discussions within the ruling party in Yobe State.
Governor Buni stated that consultations were still ongoing among party leaders, aspirants, and stakeholders to maintain unity within the APC structure. He stressed that dialogue remained the preferred approach toward resolving disagreements over candidate emergence. He said, “We are talking to each other and reaching out to the stakeholders including the aspirants to arrive at an amicable solution.”
The governor further emphasized that peace and unity within the party remained important ahead of the elections. He described Yobe as a state with a strong history of participatory democracy and internal political stability. Buni added, “Yobe State is proudly a leading example of political transparency, internal and participatory democracy. We shall continue to uphold these principles to promote the policy of politics without bitterness.”
The transparent APC primaries discussion has also attracted wider attention because of Buni’s background as a founding member, former National Secretary, and former National Chairman of the APC. He stated that preserving party unity remains a personal responsibility.
The growing conversation around transparent APC primaries reflects broader political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections in Yobe State. Analysts believe the eventual decision on consensus or direct primaries may influence party cohesion and political alignments within the state.
Political observers also note that the APC remains dominant in Yobe, making the governorship primary highly significant ahead of the general election. The transparent APC primaries debate is expected to continue as consultations intensify among aspirants, party officials, and grassroots stakeholders in the coming months.
