Politics
Muslim/Muslim ticket unacceptable, says CAN, NSCIA differs
The Christian Association of Nigeria has warned that two Muslims running on a joint presidential ticket in 2023 will not be accepted and can lead to the country’s collapse.
However, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubakar III, says the most important thing should be competence and that is what Muslims are praying for.
The Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said on Monday that it did not matter if Tinubu picked a Muslim as his running mate, adding that Nigerians would choose competence over ethnic and religious considerations.
Jibrin argued that currently in the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, are both Muslims while in the 6th and 7th Senate, Senator David Mark and Ike Ekweremadu who are both Christians, were Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.
In his recently published book, a former interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, also claimed that Tinubu was supposed to be the running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in 2007 even though both Buhari and Atiku are Muslims just like Tinubu. Akande had argued that the South-West does not consider religion during elections.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, however, the Spokesman for the CAN President, Rev. Bayo Oladeji, said having a Muslim/Muslim ticket would set the country on fire. Oladeji also argued that CAN would not support two Christians running on a joint ticket in 2023.
He said the June 12, 1993 election wherein MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party ran alongside Babagana Kingibe on a joint Muslim ticket, could never be replicated in 2023.
Oladeji stated, “Politicians can talk politics but we have stated our view. Any party that tries Muslim/Muslim ticket or Christian/Christian ticket will fail. This is not 1993. Even when we have joint Muslim/Christians, the church still goes through hell. Only God knows the number of Christians that have been killed.
“Imagine how bad it will be if we have two Muslims in power? The constitution promotes religious balance. So, if they want to try Muslim/Muslim ticket, let them try it. But we will not respond to faceless people. Let any political party or the government try it then they will know that Christians are not second hand citizens of Nigeria.
“This country belongs to all of us. If they try it, they will see it. Those who are planning Muslim/Muslim ticket should also find out what was the outcome of MKO Abiola and Kingibe ticket. If they try Muslim/Muslim ticket this time around, the outcome will be worse.”
But the NSCIA, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, says Muslims believe that all power belongs to God and only those who God supports can emerge as winners of any election.
When asked if the NSCIA saw anything wrong in a joint Muslim Presidential ticket, the Director of Administration, NSCIA, Zubairu Ugwu, told The PUNCH that while the council would continue to advocate for peace in the country, Muslims would pray to God to grant that only Nigerians who possessed the requisite capacity would eventually triumph at both their respective party primaries and subsequent general elections, at all tiers of government in Nigeria.
He said, “Consequently, both the NSCIA and the Muslim Ummah of Nigeria who, in thought and practice, draw instructions from the Holy Qur’an, have absolute trust that Almighty Allah has limitless capacity, to bring to power or deny power, in line with the above Qur’anic injunction, to whomsoever He wills.
“As Muslims, therefore, we have no choice but to continue to supplicate to Allah to grant that only Nigerians who possess the requisite capacity, integrity, sagacity, empathy, positive attitude, passion, administrative acumen, zeal for selfless service, etc., shall eventually triumph at both their respective party primaries and subsequent general elections, at all tiers of government in Nigeria.”
He said the NSCIA would continue to lend its voice to calls for all Nigerians, including political, religious, traditional and civil society organisations, to eschew religious politics and politicisation of religion, subtly or manifestly, in Nigeria, to avoid the dire consequences”
Punch
Politics
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.
His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”
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He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.
“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.
Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau
Politics
PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027
PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027
Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hasn’t made its official position known on the coalition being put together by some key leaders of the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party at the federal level, All Progressives Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027, Sunday Vanguard understands that the PDP may join forces with them on one condition: The process will not lead to its loss of identity.
The PDP was in power for 16 years before the APC dislodged it from the Presidential Villa in 2015 when then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan lost reelection to former President Buhari.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, had, last week, announced his decision to join the coalition with other members of opposition parties to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Atiku was responding to a call by a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai, to key members of opposition parties in the country to come together and fight Tinubu and APC in 2027.
El-Rufai had made the call while dumping the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In his response, the former PDP presidential candidate confirmed that he, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, and El-Rufai, among others, had kick-started a movement aimed at defeating Tinubu’s APC in the 2027 elections.
He spoke at a press conference organized by Nigeria’s key opposition leaders and political stakeholders to discuss the President’s controversial declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
When journalists asked whether the emerging coalition would be the major opposition force against the APC in 2027, Atiku did not mince words.
“Yes,” he declared.
Clarity
Sources within the PDP told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend that the party will expect the former presidential candidate to give clarity to his decision soon.
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A member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was “yet to be discussed at the official level,” said, “We expect him to shed more light on his decision as we proceed.
“For now, he is still a high ranking member of our party the PDP.
“We have been following his public statements and engagements and he hasn’t announced to anyone that he is leaving or has left our party.
“Yes, he left the party on two previous occasions over the past two decades -first to join Tinubu’s Action Congress (AC) to contest the 2007 presidential election; and in 2013 or thereabouts to join others to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Note, however, that on each of these occasions he returned to the PDP.
“Now, whether he is planning to leave to join others or he wants others to come join us to beat the APC rigging machine in 2027, only he can explain. “For now, from my interactions with members of his team, one thing is clear, this time around, Atiku’s move is a strategic step towards unifying opposition forces against the ruling APC.
‘Significant shift’
“His announcement of the formation of a coalition signals a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, as opposition leaders seek to present a united front against the current administration.
“The proposed coalition is expected to bring together key political parties and stakeholders, including prominent figures like Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
“It’s worth noting that Atiku’s decision might not be universally accepted within the PDP, as some members may have different opinions on the best strategy to challenge the APC in 2027.
“Nevertheless, Atiku’s move demonstrates his commitment to opposing the current administration and his willingness to work with other opposition parties to achieve this goal.”
Identity
The party chieftain further explained that a majority of leaders and members of the PDP are resolute in their desire to ensure that the party retains its identity.
According to him, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, spoke the minds of most leaders and members of the PDP when he dismissed El-Rufai’s call to dump the party and join the SDP.
Lamido said in an interview, “The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.
“He (El-Rufai) once said that there are no elders in Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”
Lamido equally questioned El-Rufai’s motive for dumping the APC for the SDP and his motivation for seeking power.
“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole”, he said.
While restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the party which he helped to form hasn’t done anything wrong to warrant him leaving to join another.
His views resonated with another leader and foundation member of the PDP, Chief Bode George, who has told whoever cares to listen that he is in the PDP to stay.
PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027
Vanguard
Politics
PDP crisis over secretary lingers despite Supreme Court ruling
PDP crisis over secretary lingers despite Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, delivered on 20 December 2024, which affirmed the removal of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a unanimous judgment by a five-member panel, the apex court ruled that matters concerning the leadership or membership of a political party are internal affairs and should not be subject to judicial intervention. The court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter initially brought by Aniagwu Emmanuel.
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However, the judgment, expected to bring an end to the crisis, has left the PDP leadership and members in disarray, as both parties in the suit—Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye—are claiming victory. The development threatens to disrupt the fragile peace the party has enjoyed since its organs unanimously endorsed Sunday Ude-Okoye following the High Court’s ruling in Enugu.
PDP crisis over secretary lingers despite Supreme Court ruling
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