COYAPO to Yobe South Senator: Learn from Tight Victory in 2023, Exercise Caution

Dear Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai, The Coalition of Yobe APC Political Organizations (COYAPO) finds it necessary to respond to your recent statement regarding the emergence of Alhaji Baba Malam Wali as the APC consensus candidate in Yobe State, as well as your comments concerning our respected leader, Ibrahim Gaidam, CON. With due respect, your […]

Dear Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai,

The Coalition of Yobe APC Political Organizations (COYAPO) finds it necessary to respond to your recent statement regarding the emergence of Alhaji Baba Malam Wali as the APC consensus candidate in Yobe State, as well as your comments concerning our respected leader, Ibrahim Gaidam, CON.

With due respect, your assertion that Senator Gaidam acted unilaterally in the emergence of Baba Malam Wali is both inaccurate and inconsistent with the facts known to all present at the stakeholders’ meeting held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Damaturu. That meeting brought together party leaders and critical stakeholders from across the state, where extensive deliberations were held, culminating in the collective endorsement of Baba Malam Wali. The decision was neither personal nor imposed, but a product of broad-based consultation and agreement.

It is therefore surprising that a process you personally witnessed and participated in is now being portrayed as a deviation from democratic norms.

Consensus politics has long been a defining feature of APC in Yobe State. It has served as a stabilizing mechanism, fostering unity, cohesion, and continuity within the party. Notably, this same principle has, at various points, supported your own political trajectory, including your emergence as a Senator in 2023. At the time, it was embraced as a demonstration of political maturity and strategic alignment for the greater good of the party.

It is difficult to reconcile why a process once accepted and beneficial is now being described as imposition, injustice, or oppression simply because it does not align with your present political aspiration.

The emergence of Alhaji Baba Malam Wali as consensus candidate does not in any way abridge your constitutional or democratic rights. The pathway to contest remains open—no one has restricted your ability to seek nomination, purchase forms, or participate in party primaries. The consensus arrangement was a call for unity, not a denial of participation.

COYAPO is concerned by attempts to frame personal political grievances as broader issues of injustice, particularly when such narratives risk undermining the credibility of leaders who have consistently prioritized the collective interest of Yobe State.

Senator Ibrahim Gaidam has, over the years, distinguished himself as a pillar of stability, unity, and progressive leadership in Yobe politics. His approach has always been rooted in consultation, inclusiveness, and a deep commitment to peace and continuity. At no point has he imposed decisions; rather, he has facilitated consensus and dialogue among stakeholders.

It is therefore regrettable that such a leader is being publicly criticized over a process that was transparent, inclusive, and widely accepted within the party structure.

Distinguished Senator, politics must be guided by consistency, fairness, and respect for collective decisions. It is neither just nor constructive to challenge a consensus process only when it no longer aligns with personal expectations.

Yobe State belongs to all of us. The unity and stability we have enjoyed must not be sacrificed on the altar of individual ambition. COYAPO therefore firmly rejects any attempt to misrepresent the collective will of stakeholders or to diminish the integrity of Senator Ibrahim Gaidam and the leadership framework that has sustained peace and progress in our state.

Our commitment remains unwavering—to truth, unity, justice, and the continued advancement of Yobe State.

Long Live APC Yobe State.
Long Live Yobe State.