… Shagari, Haruna, Ahmed, Dogara, Lawal, Sani-Sidi 35 others to adopt consensus candidate, reject same faith ticket
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Christian and Muslim Leaders in the Northern part of the country have united against religious division.
The meeting of the northern leaders accross religious line followed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Northern Christian leaders led by the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Yakubu Dogara and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal, resolved to work with their Muslim counterparts in the north to adopt one of the Presidential Candidates in a bid to defeat the same faith 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 Mukhari Shagari and Hon Yakubu 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 dialogue and consultative meeting had in attendance the following persons: Alhaji Mukhtari 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 Msheliza and Sarah Allabeh-nanpon.
Others are: 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.
Elanza News reports that 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 at the meeting, adopted all decisions and resolutions of the meeting.
The leaders said inline 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 their division.
“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.
“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, ” the group added.
