From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
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, have 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 (Muslim-Muslim) ticket of the APC.
The resolution was contained in a communique jointly signed by a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State and minister of Water Resources during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo Hon. Mukhari Shagari and Hon Yakubu Dogara., which was made available to reporters in Bauchi, by Dogara Media aide Turaki Hassan.
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 35 persons: Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari, Boni Haruna, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, Engr. Babachir David Lawal, Damishi Sango, Senator Idris Ahmed Umar, Yomi Awoniyi, Simon Achuba, Umara Kumalia, Baba Shehu Agaie, Air Marshall Monday Morgan (Rtd), General Ishaya Bauka (rtd), Mohammed Sani Sidi, Hon John B. Bawa, Dr. Iliya Stephen Msheliza, 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
Communique said that Ibrahim Shehu Shema, HE Senator Adamu Aliero, HE Capt. Idris Wada and Senator Umaru Tsauri, Imam Sani Ishaq, Sheik Halliru Maraya, sent in apologies but said they agreed with all decisions and resolution of the meeting.
The communique reads:
The APC Northern Christian leaders have in line with their communique issued on July 29, 2022, today met with some Muslim brothers and sisters across the 19 northern states and the FCT and resolved as follows:
1. That we have agreed to work together with a view to fostering unity, peace and national cohesion.
2. 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.
3. 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 matter that unite us more as a people instead of encouraging attacks on sensitives issues bothering on religion in the name of politics.
4. 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.
