Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday pleaded to be left out of discussions about him replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 election.
Dogara spoke against the backdrop of speculations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may again field a Muslim–Muslim ticket in 2027.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Dogara said: “I would have sincerely pleaded with you to leave me out of this, but let me say something. Whatever we are doing shouldn’t be because we are afraid of anybody breathing down our necks; it should be because it is the right thing to do.
“We are talking about running an inclusive government, bringing everybody in this country together, so that we can build a nation that works for all of us.
“So, if we are talking about rotational presidency, there is nothing stopping us from having that discussion as well, because you are not just talking about Northern Christians but about the Christian faith as a whole.
“If you have a Muslim, whether he comes from the North or the South, let it be that he is representing the Muslim community. And if you have a Christian, wherever he comes from, he represents the Christian faith. That way, you achieve religious balance.”
On the possibility of a Christian running mate in 2027, Dogara said:
“It’s a discussion, and I am aware that such discussions are already taking place.
“At the end of the day, whatever the president decides, nobody who is a serving president has ever lost the party primaries. So, we assume that the president will get the party’s ticket.”
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