Northern Christians, Muslims Political Leaders Unite Against APC Same Faith Ticket

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – As opposition against the Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) heightens, Northern Christian leaders of the Party, have resolved to work with their Muslim counterparts from the region to adopt a Presidential candidate to defeat the same faith Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.

The Northern political leaders against the same faith ticket being led by former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, resolved to channel their energies on matters that unite them more as a people as against encouraging attacks on sensitive issues bothering on religion in the name of politics.

The resolution of the Christian and Muslim political leaders was contained in a communique jointly signed by a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State and Minister of Water Resources in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Hon. Mukhari Shagari and Hon Dogara.

The communique was the outcome of their consultative meeting and dialogue between Northern APC Christian Leaders and Northern Muslim Political Leaders held on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja.

The APC Northern Christian leaders have, in line with their communique issued on July 29, 2022, met with some of their Muslim brothers and sisters across the 19 Northern States and the FCT with a resolve to work together to foster unity, peace, and national cohesion.

The communique which was made available to Journalists in Bauchi, further resolved; “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”.

It also resolved that; “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.

“In view of the above, we have agreed to set up a committee with the mandate to fashion out strategies for advancing the objectives set forth in this resolution,” they resolved.

The dialogue and the consultative meeting had in attendance, HE Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari; HE Boni Haruna; HE Abdulfatah Ahmed, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara; Engr. Babachir David Lawal; Hon Damishi Sango and Senator Idris Ahmed Umar.

Others are HE Yomi Awoniyi; HE Simon Achuba; Hon. Ummara Kumalia; Hon Baba Shehu Agaie; Air Marshall Monday Morgan (Rtd); General Ishaya Bauka (rtd); Mohammed Sani Sidi; Hon John B. Bawa and Dr. Iliya Stephen Msheliza.

The lists also include; Sarah Allabeh-Nanpon; Shina Ibiyemi; Dr. Auwalu Anwar; Dr. Yakubu Tor-Agbidye; Hon Hassan Jonga; Hon Dauda Bundot; Alhaji Abdul Abubakar; Alhaji Musa Bello; Ishaku Pennap; Hon Leah Solomon; Mohammed Alhaji Yakubu; Professor Salamatu Machunga; Barrister Mela Nanghe SAN, Reverend Joseph Hayab, Dr. Mrs Ruth Magaji; Reverend Innocent Solomon; Reverend Habila Tengya; Hon Haruna Mohammed and Hon Gwamna Dimas.

The following; HE Ibrahim Shehu Shema, HE Senator Adamu Aliero, HE Capt. Idris Wada and Senator Umaru Tsauri, Imam Sani Ishaq, and Sheik Halliru Maraya sent in apologies and agreed with all the resolutions of the meeting.