APC Chieftain, Dogara rejects Muslim-Muslim ticket

Kingsley Chukwuka

July 29, 2022 10:05 PM

A chieftain of the ruling All progressive Congress (APC), and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has also joined other Nigerians to reject the party's Presidential Muslim Muslim ticket.

Speaker House of Reps, Yakubu Dogara

Recall that the APC Presidential flag bearer, Ahmed Bola Tinubu recently unveiled the former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in the 2023 general elections.

Tinubu's choice of running mate has, however, generated mixed reactions in the country.

Condemning the ruling party’s decision, Dogara who spoke at the 12th General Assembly and Leadership Transition Ceremony and Symposium on the Role of Christian Women and Youths in Politics, organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria in Abuja, Wednesday July 27, 2022, aligned his position with that of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which rejected the Tinubu-Shettima’s presidential ticket.

He stated that the position of CAN is the position of God, pointing out that adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket in a diverse country like Nigeria is a recipe for disunity and disaster.

"The position taken by CAN is not only CAN’ s position, it is not only the position of notable Christian leaders like Babachir David Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and many others who have spoken against it, it is also God’s position because we serve the God of justice, but our God is also righteous, our God is the author of diversity, and He wants as diverse as we are to come together.

“So, CAN’s position, as much as it is a righteous position, it is the position of all of us who love righteousness, justice, and diversity and are working to harness it for the advancement of this country.

"Anybody can say anything, but as much as what we are standing on is godly, any other position is ungodly. It is either you are for righteousness, inclusiveness, justice or you are against the unity of this great country”, he said.

Dogara called on women and youths to emulate the lives of Esther and Deborah in the Holy Bible, who stood up for their people in times of national crisis in Israel.

Quoting from the book of John 3:3, he argued that only those who are born again can enter the kingdom of God and that it is a righteous thing for born-again Christians to participate in politics.

Drawing from the parable of talents in the Holy Bible, Hon. Dogara called on Christians to utilise their individual talents for the advancement of the kingdom, to impact on their communities and societies as everyone will account before the creator for how they used their talents.

He said that to participate in politics does not mean everyone must run for elective offices, as women and youths can organise and mobilise their communities to participate actively in the democratic process, such as voter registration.

He added that “as Christians, the scripture says we are the salt and light of the world.”

Dogara is a politician and lawyer who served as the 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria.

He is a member of the APC who has represented Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa, Federal constituency of Bauchi State since 2007.

Kingsley Chukwuka