Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has said that the rejection of the Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), by Christians is not about religion, but the quest for justice, fairness, equity and inclusiveness in a diverse country like Nigeria.
Dogora who is a chieftain of the APC maintained that, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a bad decision that promotes division and should be rejected.
The former speaker stated this in a speech he delivered as a guest at the APC Northern Christian Leaders Submit with the
on Friday in Abuja.
Dogara said, “When we talk about a Muslim-Muslim ticket; God forbid that we should be understood to be objecting to Muslims or that we don’t want Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to be president.
“It is not about Senator Kashim Shettima either, but it about what is right and what is wrong.
“It is about justice, fairness and equity. It is about Nigeria; its diversity and how it can be harnessed in an inclusive manner for the greater good of all of us.
“Be that as it may, some of us really wanted Asiwaju to be president because he has sacrificed much for our Party, the APC and for what he represents to so many people.
“So, our position cannot be against Muslims or Islam. That fact cannot be denied in any way.”
He said, “when it it comes to choosing between the love and admiration I have for an individual and what is right and what I believe represents my vision for Nigeria, my choice will clearly be for the latter”.
He said, “after all my rise to the position of Speaker was never going to be possible without the support of some Muslim members who believe that our diversity must be reflected in national positions for the unity, peace and advancement of our dear country.”
Dogara said gives him hope about the Nigerian project is that there are “many Muslims and leaders who did not only warn the APC, but have had to call out the APC for adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket which resulted into the part ructions we are witnessing today”.
Dogara recalled that in 2015, “when the APC was called ‘janjeweed party, my response was usually very simple. I could then say that, HE John Oyegun was the chairman of my party and my Vice-Presidential candidate was Pastor Yemi Osinbajo.
“We don’t enjoy that luxury anymore as the President, Senate President, Speaker and his deputy; Senate and House Leaders; National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman; Presidential and the Vice-Presidential candidates are all Muslims, leaving the Christians with just the position of VP Osibanjo and Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege at that level in a Country whose population is fairly split between Muslims and Christians.”
He asked: “Granted the this scenario, can any God-fearing Muslim, Christian nay even the amoral and the atheist say this is fair, just and righteous? Does this represent the act of a just God?”
According to him, “This is the real context of objections from the Christian community not just the Presidential ticket and the VP slot.”
Dogara said the, “The very fact that they said we should not worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket while a Muslim-Christian ticket gave them sleepless nights should make you worry the more.
“To worry about a Muslim-Christian ticket while counselling others not to worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket is the very textbook definition of cognitive dissonance and an attempt at gaslighting gullible Christians.
“Truth must be told that anyone who is not bringing us together is consciously tearing us apart.
“Furthermore, I do not want to speak to the argument that there is no Christian competent enough to be Vice-President because as we all know, that is hogwash.
“It only speaks to the need to deliberately exclude – whereas the need now is for inclusion.”
Speaking further, Dogara, noted that, “The other funny argument in the media is the claim that without a northern Muslim on the ticket, elections cannot be won.
“The implications of that argument are quite unambiguous; Northern Muslims don’t vote for the South – even if the candidate is a Muslim like them – and, of course, don’t vote for Christians. “However, nothing can be further from the truth. If you stretch this argument further, it may lead to questions such as, if Muslims in the North don’t trust a southern Muslim for any reason(s), why should Christians in Nigeria trust a Muslim from the South and North?
“These are the kinds of arguments I hate to engage in and which we must avoid if we hope not to injure the health of our Republic…
“Why do I consider the decision by the APC to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket not a bold but bad decision?
“There are ample reasons but I will highlight a few for want of time and space.
“It is a bad decision because it fuels inequality. We must always bear in mind that the liberty we enjoy is as rare as it is fragile.
“Inequality has a way of upsetting the balance due to the universal law of cause and effect.
“Throughout history, every revolution has been waged to either consolidate or destroy inequality…
“It is a bad decision because it breads division which is counter-productive to our collective aspirations for a united and prosperous nation.
“To my mind what is right is not just to win elections but to unite Nigerians both now and after the elections so that we can collectively build a Nigeria that works for all regardless of creed.
“As long as God remains the God of justice, may we continue to resist injustice to our sinews, no matter who is for or against it because it is the requirement of the just God.
“Let us go out from this summit with the resolve to seek out our Muslim brothers and sisters who believe in unifying our people in order to usher in the much need peace and advancement for Nigeria to unleash her true potentials.”
