Kabiru Bello Bandawaire, a candidate vying for the Taraba North Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has firmly opposed the consensus method being considered for the party’s upcoming primaries. He is calling for open and transparent direct primaries instead.
Speaking to the press on Friday in Jalingo, Bandawaire emphasized that his candidacy is fueled by a commitment to the electorate, not by allegiance to any government. He argued that the consensus approach goes against the core tenets of democracy and cautioned Governor Agbu Kefas against any meddling in the party’s internal elections.
Bandawaire asserted that true democracy flourishes when party members can freely select their representatives through competitive primaries. “First and foremost, it is not about the government, it is about the people. I am representing the interest of the people,” he stated. “On this issue of consensus, I am not consenting to it at all. All I want is direct primaries, and direct primaries should be carried out under a transparent process. The beauty of democracy is that the majority is always welcome.”
He also questioned why a three-term incumbent senator would prefer a consensus arrangement over a competitive primary. “What is the fear about? If you opt for consensus in the primary election, what about the general elections? That is not democracy,” he remarked.
The aspirant further warned Governor Kefas against interfering in the party’s affairs, stating that such actions could lead to adverse outcomes. He insisted that the governor should let party members decide their candidate through direct primaries without external influence.
Responding to statements made during a recent stakeholders’ meeting that primaries are a waste of resources, Bandawaire countered that the party, not the state government, is responsible for funding the process. “The party sold forms, we purchased forms. I purchased a form for N20,000,000, as did others, so the party has the responsibility to fund its activities, not the state government,” he said.
Bandawaire challenged the governor to test the consensus idea by asking the incumbent senator from the northern district to step aside for him. “Since I am not consenting to consensus, let the governor try whether the northern senator will consent to consensus by choosing me, and see whether he will agree. If he is not going to agree, why should I agree?” he added.