This was disclosed 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. Dogara.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – 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 led Northern Christian leaders to dialogue with their northern Muslim counterparts on which Presidential Candidates to adopt in order to defeat the same faith (Muslim-Muslim) ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was disclosed 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. Dogara.
The communique is 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 Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari; former Adamawa Governor, Boni Haruna; his Kwara State counterpart l, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara and Engr. Babachir David Lawal in attendance.
Others present at the event include Hon Damishi Sango, Senator Idris Ahmed Umar, Yomi Awoniyi, Simon Achuba, Ummara Kumalia, Hon Baba Shehu Agaie Air Marshall Monday Morgan (Rtd), General Ishaya Bauka (rtd) and Mohammed Sani Sidi.
Also in attendance were 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.
Former Governors of Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema; Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero; Kogi Statet, Capt. Idris Wada and Senator Umaru Tsauri, Imam Sani Ishaq, Sheik Halliru Maraya, sent in their apologies while affirming that 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.