APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Barrister Yakubu Dogara.
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
More groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the northeast have continued to reject the Muslim/Muslim ticket being muted in the party for the presidential election in 2023.
Speaking with journalists in Bauchi separately, the groups said that choosing a Muslim from the north to be the running mate to the flag bearer of the party, Bola Tinubu, will amount to the marginalization of Christians in the country.
They urged Tinubu to pick a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member representing Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal Constituency, Yakubu Dogara, as his running mate.
The Concerned APC Stakeholders from North East region, berated Senator Urji Uzor Kalu over his comment that there was nothing wrong with Tinubu’s running mate being a Muslim.
Speaking at an interactive session with some journalists, the leader of the Group, Michael Damina, said that “our flag bearer should disregard in totality, the claim by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that Tinubu’s wife is a Christian Pastor and ‘Vice President’ so that Northern Christians should remain calm.
“Senator Oluremi Tinubu is from the South and she cannot represent the North nor the Christians Northerns.”
Damina said that their prayer is that the APC flag bearer, Tinubu, the President Muhammadu Buhari, National Party Chairman, the APC Governors and other stakeholders should “take a bold step by presenting the Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of Nigeria’s eighth Assembly from Banchi State, North East Nigeria who has all it takes to be the running mate of Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election and Nigeria and Nigerians will never regret their decision.”.
They said picking Dogara as Tinubu’s running mate will boost the party’s chances of winning the presidential election.
Also speaking at a press conference, the North-East Concerned Citizens, appealed to the North-Central and North-West to allow the region (North-East) produce the Vice Presidential candidate to Bola Tinubu.
The leader of the group, Muhammad Nurudeen, said: “I want to appeal to our brothers and sister in the North Central and North West to concede this slot of the VP to the North East as the North East is consistently in support of the other sections in collective efforts in the nation building so that all sections are carried along, while in return give us self-belonging and most importantly to keep the bond of our togetherness.
“Bauchi State should be considered because it is the stronghold of APC in the history of politics in Nigeria. The state always gives the highest percentage of votes to the ruling party(APC), even when it is in the opposition.
“The honour will double the efforts not only in Bauchi State but the entire North-East Zone.
Another reason why Bauchi state should be considered is because, the state was left behind, while other States in the region were overloaded with political offices.
“As the cruise for search of the All Progressives Congress Vice Presidency candidate is becoming hotter, the party is blessed with many qualified competent candidates. But, the former Speaker Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara is the best candidate for the office. Expectedly, our candidate is blessed with with a popular block votes, not only from the north east but Nigeria at large.”
