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Tag: Muslim Muslim ticket

  • How Tinubu doused ‘Muslim-Muslim’ ticket fears – Group

    How Tinubu doused ‘Muslim-Muslim’ ticket fears – Group

    A group of Christian leaders under the auspices of the National Solemn Assembly says President Bola Tinubu’s appointments have dowsed the fears of ‘Muslim-Muslim’ ticket in the 2023 Presidential elections.

    The Chairman of the group, Archbishop Leonard  Kawas, told newsmen in Abuja that many Christians were initially apprehensive of the Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the presidential election.

    According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket contributed to the tension in the polity in addition to the prophecy of doom that Nigeria was going to disintegrate.

    Kawas, however, said that Christians and Muslims had their equal share in the appointments so far made by Tinubu and there was no sign of Islamisation.

    “We were all scared of the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it brought a lot of fear and shipped shivers down our minds.

    “But as God will have it, that ticket produced for us, a President and his vice who have demonstrated nothing but balance in the political appointments that they have made.

    “We have seen that nobody can cry of marginalisation because Muslims have gotten their fair share and Christians have also gotten their fair share.

    “And, so this is one of the reasons why we must thank God because some people thought that the Muslim-Muslim ticket will Islamise Nigeria but there is no sign,” he said.

    Kawas said that many Christians were satisfied with the balance they had seen so far and also that the prophecies of doom that came on the nation did not come to pass.

    The chairman said that assembly would hold a day of praise and worship on Dec. 1, in thanksgiving to God for the outcome of the electiony.

    He announced a 40-day fast to commence on Oct. 20, urging all Nigerians especially Christians to join in the fast and participate in the praise and worship day.

  • Christian politicians are fond of promoting religion – Asari Dokunbo

    Christian politicians are fond of promoting religion – Asari Dokunbo

    A highly influential Niger Delta political figure,  Asari Dokubo, has posited that it will be very difficult for any Christian to emerge as  Nigeria’s president.

    He said that Christian politicians are fond of promoting religion above all things and that will always work against them with the electorates.

    Dokunbo made this known while featuring on Facebook live, saying said the President-elect, Bola Tinubu can’t change anything.

    He said “Today, it will be very difficult for a Christian to become president of Nigeria because Tinubu cannot change anything – like what he did in Lagos.

    “Muslim-Muslim ticket has come to stand. There is nothing you can do.

    “You don’t start a war that you cannot finish.

    “The people that have promoted religion in everything in Nigeria are Christians,” he said.

    Asari-Dokubo, formerly Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. and typically referred to simply as Asari, is a major political figure of the Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

  • APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket political calculation, says Group

    APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket political calculation, says Group

    Mr. Realwan Okpanachi, the Director-General, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as a political calculation for success.

    Okpanachi who explained this on Sunday in Lokoja, said it was never meant to insult Christians.

    He spoke at a reception organised in his honour following his appointment as Director-General, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, and Town Hall meeting on Asiwaju/Shettima policy document, tagged Renewed Hope 2023.

    The Abuja based legal practitioner said that there were many Christians of good faith and conscience supporting him, because Asiwaju cannot be pinned to a religion or ethnicity.

    “I am a Christian and the speakers that came for this programme are Christians.

    “Tinubu is a man that has lived above board, he is a man that has built a very solid bridge across the divide of religion or ethnicity.

    “He is a man that has been married for over 40 years to a Christian and Senior Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church Of God (RCCG).

    “All his children are Christians and he is a man that has appointed many Christians into his cabinet as governor of Lagos State,” he said.

    Okpanachi also declared that Asiwaju “is a very good friend of the Christian community and because of that Nigerians don’t have any fear and those that are touting Muslim-Muslim ticket are mischief makers fighting for their own selfish and ugly interests”.

    According to him, majority of Nigerians appreciate the reasons behind the decision for Muslim-Muslim ticket and “we don’t see it as an affront on the Christian community”.

    Speaking in same vein, the Chairman of the occasion, retired Col. Suleiman Babanawa, said the choice of Shettima as Asiwaju’s running mate was a wise one and based purely on political consideration.

    He said that politics was a game of numbers and that there was a great difference between competence and political value.

    “Would you rather lose millions of votes from Borno for few thousands from certain states because of religion or ethnicity? It’s a pure political calculation and it has nothing to do with either despising or spiting Christians.

    He said that God would plant Sen. Oluremi Tinubu as “Queen Esther of our time”, to open doors of Aso Rock for the people of this country.

    “Asiwaju/Shettima ticket is the best for Nigeria because at the end of the day, if we are to emancipate Nigerians, the rich, the poor, the downtrodden, all we need is a man who has a capacity and a pair that is compatible and can win elections.

    “If you want good governance take Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Shettima; if you want good security, think Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Shettima.

    “If you want a complete emancipation and something to hand over to the next generation let us think about a man who has a capacity.”

    According to him, “Barrister Realwan Okpanachi is an exceptional young man who has caught a niche of excellence for himself.

    “He is not among the group of lazy Nigerian youths, he is one who has distinguished himself by pure dint of hard work and doggedness. I appreciate him. He’s an ideal son and I love him.”

    Prof. Adamu Usman, the Chairman of Universal Basic Education (UBE) Board and former SA to the President on Legal Matters, Research and Documentation, reviewed the policy documents of Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023.

    Usman urged youths not to take politics as a profession and diligently pursue their career or vocation and play politics as part time activity rather than taking it as a profession.

    He said that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration would focus on security and deploy modern technologies to check activities of criminals, adding that “when the risk of apprehension is higher, people will be forced to behave themselves”.

    Various speakers at the occasion eulogised Okpanachi as a young man, who has distinguished himself through dint of hard work in his legal profession and political landscape.

  • Tinubu fires Dogara for opposing APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

    Tinubu fires Dogara for opposing APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

    The All Progressives Congress, presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has said former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara is not in his right senses for opposing the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

    Tinubu was reacting to reports of a meeting convened by Dogara at the weekend with some Northern Muslim groups to adopt one of the opposition presidential candidates in a bid to defeat APC’s same-faith ticket.

    Speaking through the Director of Media and Publicity at the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the APC presidential candidate said Dogara was not a member of the APC.

    A statement by Onanuga reads: “Dogara has apparently lost his mind since he could not realise his self-imposed ambition to be on the presidential ticket of APC.

    “The Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council is therefore not surprised by media reports about a meeting of some so-called Northern Christian leaders, who claimed to be members of our All Progressives Congress that were championed by Dogara and his ilks. The claim was totally fraudulent.

    “We want to assure Dogara and his co-travellers fanning hate campaign against Tinubu and his running mate, that they will fail spectacularly at the polls.

    “Tinubu and Shettima are going into this campaign with clear objectives to engage Nigerians across the socio-economic brackets on policy actions that will make their lives better.”

  • Muslim-Muslim ticket: Northern Christians, Muslims, political leaders form common front ahead of 2023 [PHOTOS]

    Muslim-Muslim ticket: Northern Christians, Muslims, political leaders form common front ahead of 2023 [PHOTOS]

    Northern Christian leaders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have aligned themselves with their Muslim counterparts from 19 Northern States of the country to adopt one of the presidential candidates in a bid to defeat the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the Northern Christian leaders are 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.

    This is 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.

    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 the NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja.

    The four resolutions on the way forward include: “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 matter that unite us more as a people instead of encouraging attacks on sensitives 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”.

    TNG reports that the dialogue and 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, Senator Idris Ahmed Umar, HE Yomi Awoniyi, HE Simon Achuba, Hon. Ummara Kumalia, Hon Baba Shehu Agaie and Air Marshall Monday Morgan (Rtd).

    Others are 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 and Alhaji Musa Bello.

    More leaders who attended the meeting are 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.

    Meanwhile, 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 but said they agreed with all decisions and resolutions of the meeting.

    See photos from the meeting below:

  • Muslim-Muslim: Tinubu meets Northern Christian Bishops, explains choice of Shettima

    Muslim-Muslim: Tinubu meets Northern Christian Bishops, explains choice of Shettima

    The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has met with some Christian clerics under the umbrella of the Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria where he noted that his intention was not to malign or ridicule the Christians.

    Tinubu explained that his choice of Shettima was not a threat to the Christian, saying that he is the best candidate as at then.

    He added that his decision was based on competence and not religious considerations, adding that only competence can resolve the political and socio-economic challenges bedevilling the nation.

    Jagaban as he’s fondly called noted that  he had always been a friend of the Christian community and should be considered based on his track records, plans and agenda for developing Nigeria.

    “How will Nigeria develop? How do we banish hunger? How do we improve the insecurity, eliminate killing one another, and shedding the blood of innocent citizens? That is what we must take to the office and not our religion.

    “My intention is clear, not religiosity. My intention is to develop this country, to bring prosperity to our country, and I have better qualifications, track records, exposure, and vision than any of my mates.

    “When the shortlisted names came, I looked at the characters on the list, their background and everything and here is somebody (Kassim Shetimma) who is so brilliant, so committed, who, during the crisis in Borno, protected Christians,” he said.

    The bishops noted that the meeting with Tinibu was not an assurance that they are going to support or endorse the APC’s presidential candidate, saying that they are not compelled to throw their weight behind anybody for 2023 general elections.

     

  • 2023: Muslim – Muslim ticket’ll fail – Dogara insists

    2023: Muslim – Muslim ticket’ll fail – Dogara insists

    A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has again reiterated his opposition to the fielding of Muslims by the ruling APC for both Presidential and Vice Presidential candidacy for 2023 general election, and predicted doom for the pairing.

    The pairing, he stressed, is a fruitless political effort that has been doomed to end in spectacular failure.

    He made the statement on Tuesday while delivering his keynote address at a summit organised in Abuja by the Nigeria National Christian Coalition (NNCC).

    The summit had as its theme; “The Role of The Church in Nation-Building” and titled; “Meet the Chirch.”

    “In their convoluted posturing, they have placed state-building ahead of nation-building; a task never before achieved in history and we need no seer to tell us that such endeavor is guaranteed to end in spectacular failure. No divided people have ever built any civilization,” Dogara stressed.

    Also Read

    Northern Christian Summit: Dogara, Lawal fume over Muslim-Muslim ticket

    “I am so elated that today’s church in Nigeria has shaken off the beast of the complacency of the past into fire by speaking up and resisting measures adopted by some political platforms that will hamper nation building.

    “In a manner that negated the fundamentals of nation building, such as shared identity, values and visions, the APC adopted a same faith ticket in a country that has never attained nationhood.”

    He insisted that several years before the adoption of the same faith ticket, the church had warned against it through the Christian Association of Nigeria, Catholic Secretariat, ECWA and so many other Christian organisations.

    “These warnings were not only ignored but dismissed in one fell swoop by the APC presidential candidate who strangely believes that he can build a strong, secure and viable nation-state without first forging a shared identity, vision and values for our people thereby enabling us transit from citizens of a country into a nation of people with strong shared identity and values.

    “To demonstrate that the church is right, it is not alone in condemning the same faith ticket. Other prominent Islamic clerics and Muslim leaders have also spoken in the same light.

    “It is a good omen that both Christian and Muslim elites are not complacent over this matter. To this end, it will be easy to generate the needed elite consensus that is key to nation-building. All nations are built by elite consensus while all countries that failed in nation-building were destroyed by elite complacency.”

    The former Speaker also called on Christians to resist the temptation to waste their votes in the 2023 general elections.

    “Every Christian knows that our God does not tolerate waste. It is unchristian for the church to waste anything given to us from above as we own nothing except what is given to us from above.

    “I have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that the church must not waste its votes or sow same on unproductive grounds.

    “Every Christian must see his vote as talents given to him by God to trade with and as seeds that must not be wasted.

    “The only way we can build a nation out of Nigeria is by doing the right things. A united, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria is possible if we go to work. We can start building that Nigeria of our dreams if we don’t waste our votes in the next election circle”, he said.

    Speaking, the NNCC convener, Apostle Titilope Oluwadare, regretted that the church is playing a mere reactionary part in Nigeria’s political process at the moment.

    The convener noted that in every great nation the main stakeholders engage and negotiate power, positions and policies.

    Oluwadare said it was time for Christians to understand that until the church engages and brings forth her interests and drives them into ideas and fashions out political strategies, the system will not be sanitised.

    “Therefore, we may continue in the circle retrogression in the nation and the situation continues to deteriorate even further,” she said.

    The Vice-presidential candidate of the PDP and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by Senator Uche Ekwunife, told religious organisations and groups to show interest in engaging not just a political class, but the three arms of government as major stakeholders in Nigeria projects, especially on sensitive national issues.

    He explained that by doing so, a lot more would be achieved in nation-building.

    Okowa said although it might seem long overdue, Christians should navigate their way into the process of leadership in Nigeria.

    He explained that Nigerians were tired of politicians who chant the problems bedeviling the nation but lack concrete solutions to the challenges.

    “We know the challenges. We don’t want people to come and tell us our challenges. We want people to tell us the solutions to our problems because our problems and tomorrow’s anybody engaging your political platform”, he said.

  • Ondo governor, Akeredolu apologizes over Muslim-Muslim ticket

    Ondo governor, Akeredolu apologizes over Muslim-Muslim ticket

    Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has tendered an unreserved  apology to Christian clerics over his previous comment supporting Muslim-Muslim ticket of his party the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    However, Akeredolu appealed to the clerics to accept what they have to offer, adding that they should forgive and give them a chance.

    An aide to the governor and the chief press secretary, Mr Richard Olatunde, gave the speech on behalf of the Governor on Monday in Akure the state capital.

    According to the statement, the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum spoke on Sunday at the 40th Holy Ghost Convention Dinner of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

    Akeredolu called for understanding on the need for power to return to the Southern region years after tilting towards the Northern part of the country.

    The statement reads in part: He said, “I understand our feelings because I am one of you. I am a Christian. All of us here are worried. What will be our gain, and that, why is my party, the APC, throwing up a Muslim-Muslim ticket?

    “It has been a real issue for all of us; even members of the party. We have debated it, fought it and done so many things about it. I have always said to people, that my fight was for a Southern President. Now it has come to the South-West, will I now throw the baby away with the bathwater? Can I, in all honesty, do it? Should I, in all honesty, do it?

    “We call it a matter of coincidence. It is a matter of conscience. All of us are here, why don’t we look at it from one angle? The buck stops on the table of the President. Do we have a capable hand who can manage the affairs if given the opportunity? Do you have a man who is bold enough to challenge incursions into our land? That is it.

    “All of us here have lived together for years, and we didn’t allow religion to cause a fight among us. We have Muslims in our families and there is no fight. We have many leaders in Yoruba land who have both Muslims and Christians in their families and there is no fight.

    “So, we want to appeal to our people that this is our time. I want to appeal to all our senior pastors and general overseers to help talk to their followers. We politicians can only do little. This is our time, please don’t be angry.”

  • Muslim-Muslim: CAN clears air on approval of same faith ticket

    Muslim-Muslim: CAN clears air on approval of same faith ticket

    The Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) has distanced itself from reports that it reached an agreement with the All Progressives Congress, (APC) over the party’s  Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the presidential election in 2023.

    CAN posited that its position on the same faith ticket remains intact.

    There were speculations that CAN change its position on the same faith ticket after meeting with Tinubu and his campaign team.

    The Christian body has now described the story as thoughtless, malicious, and false, saying  that it  shouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone,

    CAN noted that it respects the rights of politicians and political parties to make decisions that affect their electoral fortunes.

    CAN further explained that although it is non-partisan it’s ready to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure the country’s unity.

    In a statement by CAN’s President, Daniel Okoh, he said: “The attention of the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has been drawn to a media report titled, ‘How Tinubu met, resolved Muslim-Muslim ticket with CAN’, which claimed that the apex Christian body has changed its position regarding the same-faith ticket.

    “To say the least, the story is ridiculous, malicious, untrue and should be disregarded in its entirety by all reasonable members of the society.

    “For the records, CAN took a position against the same-faith ticket imbroglio under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Samson Ayokunle, its immediate past national president, and, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stands on that same position.”

  • Tinubu-Shettima is a perfect match – Yahaya Bello

    Tinubu-Shettima is a perfect match – Yahaya Bello

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has said Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was a perfect match.

    He spoke while appearing on Channels Televisions programme, Sunrise Daily.

    According to Bello, Nigerians would be happy with the combination of APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as running mate.

    He said: “On the issue of this Muslim-Muslim ticket, it’s high time we take religion out of politics. Nigerian politicians should be more mature; we should take politics out of it.

    “Tinubu-Shettima is a perfect match. When you have a one-on-one with these gentlemen, you will know that we are coming up with a combination that Nigerians will be happy with.

    “Tinubu and Shettima are a complete departure from what is happening now.”

    Nigerians have decried and condemned the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.