Tinubu/Shettima: Northern Christian, Muslim Leaders Seek Alternative Candidate

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Christian and Muslim leaders in the Northern part of the country have united against religious and divisive tendencies in the polity.

The meeting of the northern leaders across religious lines followed the resolve of Christians leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the immediate-past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, to work with their Muslim counterparts in the North, to adopt one of the presidential candidates in a bid to defeat the same-faith presidential ticket of the APC.

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

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The communique was the outcome of a 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 dialogue and consultative meeting had in attendance Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari; Boni Haruna; Abdulfatah Ahmed; Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Engr Babachir David Lawal; Hon Damishi Sango; Senator Idris Ahmed Umar; Yomi Awoniyi; Simon Achuba; Hon. Ummara Kumalia; Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie; Air Marshal Monday Morgan (Rtd); General Ishaya Bauka (rtd); Mohammed Sani Sidi; Hon. John B. Bawa; Dr. Iliya Stephen Mshelia, and Sarah Allabeh-Nanpon.

Others were 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.

LEADERSHIP reports that a former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shehu Shema; Senator Adamu Aliero; Capt. Idris Wada; Senator Umaru Tsauri; Imam Sani Ishaq and Sheik Halliru Maraya, who could not make it to the meeting, adopted all decisions and resolutions of the meeting.

The leaders said in line with the APC Northern Christian leaders’ communique issued on July 29, 2022, they have met with some Muslim brothers and sisters across the 19 northern states and the FCT and resolved to form a united front against APC Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

“That we have agreed to work together with a view to fostering 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.

The group in the communique said: “Conscious of 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 on religion in the name of politics.

“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.”