The Governor of Bauchi State and presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, Bala Mohammed, has said that he will not be stepping down for a consensus candidate.
Mohammed, who spoke to journalists at the PDP special national convention currently holding at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, said though he was approached and asked to step down, he made it clear that it was “too late”.
When asked if he had been approached to step down, he said, “Yes, I have been approached but it is too late for me to step down for consensus candidate.
“Yes, I am a product of consensus. Presidency and governorship are issues of consensus but it came very late and it is not feasible for me to just abandon the project, leaving my supporters and Nigerians who look up to me.
“So, I am still in the race, I am not stepping down for anybody.”
Following the withdrawal of a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and businessman, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, presidential aspirants under the PDP are Vice President, Abubakar Atiku; two former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim; Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom); former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; Sam Ohunabunwa, and Dele Momodu.
The party had thrown its presidential ticket open of late attracting rebuke from socio-cultural organisations like the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which maintained that political parties like the PDP and the All Progressives Congress should zone their ticket to the South-East geopolitical zone.
