Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Thursday ruled out any ambition to contest for the Senate after completing his tenure, declaring that his focus remained on ensuring a peaceful and united primary process within the All Progressives Congress in Borno State.
Zulum made the declaration during a stakeholders’ meeting in Maiduguri, where he urged aspirants seeking various elective positions under the APC to embrace consensus as the preferred option for the emergence of candidates ahead of the party primaries.
The governor said consensus remained the most viable path to sustaining party unity and avoiding unnecessary internal conflicts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I am not going to the Senate after my tenure as governor. My interest is to ensure that APC remains strong, united and focused in Borno State,” Mr Zulum said.
He explained that his administration was more concerned about preserving the cohesion of the party than pursuing personal political ambitions.
“As we prepare for the primaries, I want all aspirants to understand that consensus remains the best option for us as a party in Borno State. Where consensus fails, we will allow direct primaries,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the APC primaries are expected to commence on Friday, May 15, beginning with the House of Representatives primaries and ending on May 23 with the presidential primary election.
Zulum assured party stakeholders that he would not impose candidates on any constituency, insisting that consultations and dialogue should guide the emergence of candidates.
“As a democrat, I will not force any candidate on any constituency. We should continue consultations so that acceptable consensus candidates can emerge,” he said.
The governor also urged aspirants and party loyalists to remain committed to the APC regardless of the outcome of the primaries, noting that those who fail to secure tickets could still have opportunities in the future.
He further disclosed that aspirants who voluntarily withdraw from contests would be considered for appointments and other opportunities at both state and federal levels.
To facilitate consultations across the state, Zulum inaugurated zonal consultative committees for the three senatorial districts.
The committees are to be headed by Deputy Governor Usman Kadafur for the Southern Zone, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori for the Central Zone, and Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno for the Northern Zone.
The governor also formally presented Mustapha Gubio as the party’s consensus governorship candidate, in fulfilment of an earlier promise made to stakeholders.
Speaking at the meeting, Dalori and the Borno APC Chairman, Bello Ayuba, also endorsed consensus as the best strategy for maintaining unity within the party ahead of the elections.
