Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has revealed that he turned down calls from supporters, friends and family members urging him to contest for a Senate seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Papers News reports that the governor made this known during a critical stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Maiduguri before the House of Representatives primary election scheduled for Thursday.
Zulum said he decided not to pursue personal political ambition because he wanted peace and unity within the party. According to him, maintaining harmony among party members was more important than joining the Senate race.
“Despite the overwhelming pressure from supporters and people close to me, I chose the party unity and cohesion over my personal ambition. I told them that I’m not vying for the Senate to maintain cordial relationships and allow peace to reign,” he said
The governor also appealed to aspirants contesting for positions under the APC to follow the path of understanding and cooperation.
He pushed for more consultations among party leaders and members so that consensus candidates could emerge instead of allowing divisions within the party.
Zulum explained that although he supports consensus arrangements, nobody would be forced on any constituency because members still have the right to participate in democratic processes.
He added that where agreements fail, the party should allow primary elections to take place.
