Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the Government of the Federation, may be leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress.
In an exclusive interview with ANAEDOONLINE.NG on Tuesday, Lawal made this revelation.
Lawal and Dogara have threatened to mobilise Northern Christians to oppose the Tinubu/Shettima joint ticket. Lawal and Dogara have been sceptical of the APC’s plan to settle for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 elections.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the ex-SGF said the agitation against the Muslim-Muslim ticket was nothing personal but a representation of the wish of a people who are part of the Nigerian nation “demanding for fair and equitable representation.”
According to him, no decision has yet been made on whether or not to quit the ruling party.
He added, however, that “what we are doing is for the sake of Nigeria. Of the 18 political parties in the country, we are talking to the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party. It is only the APC that has rejected us; the other 17 parties have not. So, those three are in the foreground of our discussion for now, but no decision has been taken.”
2023: APC Warned Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket For Nigerian Presidency
Taking a swipe at the supporters of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Lawal noted that the fact that MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe ran on the same-faith ticket in 1993 is not sufficient to replicate it in the Nigeria of today.
“Yes, Abiola and Kingibe did it but was the election not annulled? Have these people bothered to find out why the election was annulled? I am a member of the APC but we are the voices of those who have been mistreated. Since it is too late to form our party now, we are evaluating the options before us.
“We are open to listening to parties that are receptive to us. You know, some people are friendlier than others. Whatever the outcome, we will let you know but to tell the truth, we are in talks,” he stressed.
When contacted, Dogara’s media aide, Mr Hassan Turaki, declined to speak on whether his principal is in alliance with Lawal in considering their continued membership of the APC.
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