Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has taken a firm and unusually independent stand against the growing trend among some state governors to impose consensus candidates on political parties, declaring that such practices undermine democracy and that aspirants should be allowed to test their popularity in open primaries.
Speaking during an interview on the current affairs programme Politics Today, Governor Sani said: “I feel it’s not right to force consensus on candidates. We want to allow people to come out and have their way because that’s a democracy.”
He disclosed that he has explicitly directed party members in Kaduna to prepare for primaries rather than settle for any imposed arrangement. “In Kaduna, I told my people to go to primaries,” he stated.
The governor’s position represents a sharp detour from several of his colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who are reportedly pushing for consensus arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections. Analysts say many of these governors are motivated by self-interest, seeking to clear easy paths for themselves or their preferred successors without the risks of competitive primaries.
A clear example cited is Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, who is believed to be eyeing a move to the Senate once his governorship ends. According to political observers familiar with the situation, Abiodun is reluctant to face the incumbent senator occupying the seat in a primary contest and is therefore advocating for a consensus arrangement as an easier route to the Red Chamber.
Governor Sani’s insistence on primaries comes as the APC and other parties begin subtle manoeuvrings for the next electoral cycle. In many states, party leaders and sitting governors have traditionally used consensus to handpick candidates, a practice critics argue breeds imposition, reduces internal democracy and often leads to post-primary grievances and defections.
Beyond the politics of candidate selection, Governor Sani also offered a measured but positive assessment of the national economy and President Bola Tinubu’s three-year record in office. While acknowledging that conditions may appear difficult on the surface, he maintained that the president’s reforms are laying a strong foundation for the country’s future.
“It may look tough on the surface, but President Tinubu’s scorecards in the last three years are looking good and putting Nigeria’s future in a good stead,” Governor Sani said.
His comments reflect a growing divide within the APC between governors who prefer controlled candidate selection processes and those willing to allow more open contests. Political watchers note that Sani’s stance could strengthen his image as a governor committed to internal party democracy, even as it isolates him from peers pursuing more convenient arrangements for personal political advancement.
With the 2027 elections still more than a year away, Governor Sani’s remarks are already being interpreted as an early signal that not every APC governor will toe the line of elite consensus politics. Whether other state leaders will follow his lead or continue with the familiar path of imposed candidates remains to be seen.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
