Northern Christian APC Leaders have decided to work against their party in the 2023 election over it’s decision to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
The group led by former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal met in Abuja at the weekend where they decided not to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kassim Shettima, APC presidential candidate and his vice. The two politicians are Muslims.
Others who attended the meeting include former Minister of Water Resources, Muktar Shehu Shagari, a former Governor of Adamawa state, Boni Haruna, a former Governor of Kwara state, Abdufattah Ahmed, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi state, Yomi Awoniyi, amongst others.
The duo of Dogara and Lawal have condemned the same faith ticket on the basis that the decision will further polarise the country, and push christians to the bottom of politics in the country.
The group has yet to name the party it will support for next year’s presidential election. It said it will decide on the matter soon, working together with “our Muslim brother” and other stakeholders in the north.
The group said in a communique, “That we have agreed to work together to foster unity, peace, and national cohesion.
“To work together and jointly adopt a pan-Nigerian political platform that will engender unity, inclusiveness, and a sense of belonging among the Nigerian citizenry.
“Conscious of the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural configuration of Nigeria, we believe that a same-faith ticket and voting along religious lines may trigger dangerous dimensions of negative consequences among our disparate peoples in ways that will hamper nation-building.
“Consequently, we have agreed to channel our energies on matters that unite us more as a people instead of encouraging attacks on sensitive issues bothering religion in the name of politics.
“Given the above, we have agreed to set up a committee with the mandate to fashion out strategies for advancing the objectives outlined in this resolution.”
Meanwhile, the magazine learned that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP is seriously wooing the group with a view to enlisting their support for the make or mar presidential election.
