Usman Alkali Baba, a retired police inspector-general, has stepped back from Yobe State's governorship race. He announced the decision Wednesday through a written statement to newsrooms.
Baba had been among six APC aspirants who rejected the party's consensus choice of Baba Malam Wali. They'd demanded direct primary elections instead.
The six included Senator Ibrahim Bomai, Mustapha Maihaja, Bashir Machina, Kashim Musa Tumsah and Lawan Kolo Geidam. All had opposed the consensus arrangement initially.
Lawan Kolo Geidam quit the race weeks earlier and backed the consensus plan. That left five dissenters in the field.
Now Baba's exit cuts the number of holdouts to four. Bomai, Maihaja, Machina and Tumsah remain opposed to the arrangement.
According to Baba, he consulted with Vice President Kashim Shettima before deciding. Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Borno's Babagana Umara Zulum also weighed in.
Elders and stakeholders from all 17 local government areas across the state participated in discussions. "The decision was not arrived at easily," Baba noted in his statement.
He described the choice as "a voluntary but obvious sacrifice" for the party's sake. Party unity and Yobe's progress drove the decision, he stressed.
Baba called on his supporters to stay calm and obey the law. He urged them to back the APC and whoever becomes the eventual candidate.
His withdrawal marks another significant shift in the crowded governorship contest. Political observers say such moves often signal behind-the-scenes negotiations among party bigwigs.
