By Babangida Dajin
Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed has again reluctantly deferred the declaration of his presidential aspiration in the 2023 polls.
NewsNet Nigeria gathered authoritatively that Senator Mohammed is expected to make known his intention sometime in this month of February under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Senator Bala Mohammed told his 24-Wisemen Presidency Contact Committee that he still has 30% consultation to declare whether or not he would run for the nation’s plum job come 2023 general elections.
Bala, who Friday gauged the contact committee report presented to him to 70% contacts, said there are still inner leaders of the country whom he needs to consult for the Aso Rock Villa seat.
He attributed the declaration deferment of his aspiration to the fact that the contact committee toured mostly states in the North, stressing that the presidency is for every segment of the Nigerian society.
“I want to say that in all the states we visited, the PDP leadership were extremely very happy that you sent a team to consult them without pronouncement. They were happy that you respected them, and say in some instances, people simply move to the microphone and television to announce their interests”.
Earlier while presenting the report of the contact committee, the chairman, Senator Adamu Ibrahim Gumba, said that in most states they visited, leadership of the PDP wholeheartedly welcomed the idea, saying the consultation is the first of its kind by any presidential aspirant in the nation’s political psyche.
Gumba said, “I want to say that in all the states we visited, the PDP leadership were extremely very happy that you sent a team to consult them without pronouncement.
They were happy that you respected them, and say in some instances, people simply move to the microphone and television to announce their interests.”
While explaining that the committee visited mostly Northers states of the federation, Gumba said however that in Adamawa state, the contact committee advised that presidential aspirants, Atiku Abubakar and Bala Mohammed, should sit together with a view to close ranks on their aspirations.
He said, “In Adamawa state, while commending Senator Bala Mohammed for coming out to seek their opinions, they wanted to tell us also that they have a candidate in the name of Atiku Abubakar, the Wazirin Adamawa, so the Adamawa leadership of the PDP advise that Senator Bala and Wazirin Adamawa should sit together so that one can step down for the other”.
Senator Gumba explained that the committee has during its assignment gathered information and opinions that members feel is adequate for the governor to take a decision on his presidential aspiration.
“I want to say that in all the states we visited, the PDP leadership were extremely very happy that you sent a team to consult them without pronouncement. They were happy that you respected them, and say in some instances, people simply move to the microphone and television to announce their interests,” said Gumba.
