Politics

2023: Supporters Say Shettima Obstacle To Tinubu’s Victory As Protest Against Muslim-muslim Ticket Thickens

Published

3 years ago

August 19, 2022

Protests against the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress thickened on Friday with over 200 youths and supporters of the APC from the North-Central zone demanding a reversal of the decision.

The protesting youths said the choice of Kashim Shettima was the only obstacle to Bola Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 poll.

They called on the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu, to drop Shettima as his running mate.

The demonstrators, under the aegis of North-Central Progressives Youth, began the protest at Unity Fountain and culminated at the Presidential Villa.

While chanting solidarity songs, the youths from the six North-Central states and the Federal Capital Territory held banners with inscriptions such as, ‘APC presidential ticket must be for all faiths’, ‘Shettima must go now’, ‘All Christians say no to Islamisation of the APC presidential ticket’, ‘Tinubu and Shettima must do the needful, it is our constitutional right’, ‘Don’t destroy the unity of Nigeria’, among others.

The President of NCPY, Musa Attah, who described the party’s presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, as a “man loved and adored by Nigerians”, was quick to add that his only obstacle to getting victory in the 2023 presidential election would be his running mate and former governor of Borno State.

He, therefore, called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to prevail on Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, to replace Shettima with a Christian for the good of the party and Nigeria.

According to him, since the President has etched his name in history due to achievements in infrastructure, anti-corruption and good governance, Buhari must protect his legacies by working towards a worthy successor that can consolidate his gains.

Christian group faults CAN opposition to Muslim-Muslim ticket
Attah said, “Mr. President, on numerous occasions you have promised to bequeath a democratic system imbued with workable institutional structures that will stand the test of time. True to your word, the nation’s electoral system has been revolutionised.

“Your footprints will never be forgotten in the area of infrastructure. The fact that there’s still a country called Nigeria is due to your resilience despite the mirage of security challenges. We are also coping with the global economic crisis. Meanwhile, the trial of the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation and many others have proven your zero tolerance for corruption. There are no sacred cows.

“Yet your biggest legacy will be your successor. Whoever takes over from you will either consolidate some of these gains achieved in the last seven years or dissuade them all. As a progressive nation, we wouldn’t want the latter. And that is why we are beckoning on you to call the ruling All Progressives Congress to order as regards its presidential candidates.”

He added that Tinubu has demonstrated capacity over the years and is primed to build on Buhari’s legacies.

Attah said, “Tinubu’s alliance with Shettima may just be his undoing. In the face of unprecedented disunity, the same-faith ticket is a disregard for the country’s fragility and would further polarise the nation. Sections 14 and 15 of the Constitution talk about Federal Character. The question is, does the choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket fit into that Federal Character? As they say in law, you can’t come to equity without clean hands. He who wants equity must do equity. Is there equity in that Muslim-Muslim choice?

“The rejection of the same-faith ticket should not be seen as Christian objection but a protest by every Nigerian in favour of democracy which guarantees freedom of choice, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship. Nigeria is a secular state. Our forefathers were aware of this even before they designed the Constitution. And in making these choices, we must be sensitive to the sensibilities of the people. It shouldn’t be lorded over the people, to whom the power belongs.

“A Muslim-Muslim Presidency would mean a sectional national ideology to replace the liberty upon which Nigeria was established as a country. With Shettima, the APC is implying that Christians in the North are of no consequence in the scheme of things. We have a huge Christian population in the North-East and North-West. In the North-Central, the Christians are dominant. This is why Shettima must vacate this position.”

The organisation, therefore, told Buhari to look beyond the surface and replace Shettima with a Christian, adding that only this can protect the President’s legacies with Tinubu as successor.

Related Topics:2023 election APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

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Politics

Bayelsa Deputy Gov Sues Assembly Over Impeachment Plot

Published

2 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly over an alleged plan to impeach him.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the Assembly were under pressure to remove him from office because he refused to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party, the platform on which he and Governor Douye Diri were elected.

While Governor Diri recently resigned from the PDP, Ewhrudjakpo has remained in the party.

Through his counsel, Reuben Egwuaba, the deputy governor also claimed that some local government chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama LGA, were being threatened with removal for similarly refusing to defect from the PDP alongside the governor.

Ewhrudjakpo is seeking several interim orders, including one restraining the state Assembly from initiating or conducting any impeachment proceedings against him for remaining in the PDP.

He argued that any such move would contravene sections 188(5)-(9), (11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He is also asking the court to restrain the assembly from recognising or dealing with any member of the All Progressives Congress as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State.

Additionally, Ewhrudjakpo wants an order stopping the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection pending the determination of the motion on notice.

After hearing Egwuaba’s ex parte motion on October 27 — a copy of the certified true copy dated October 29, was sighted by our correspondent on Thursday — Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the defendants to appear before the court to show cause why the interim orders sought by the plaintiff should not be granted.

The defendants listed in the suit are the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, the State Chief Judge, and the Clerk of the Assembly.

Justice Nwite ruled that the interest of justice would be best served by directing all the defendants to appear and show cause before the court decides on the interim injunction.

The case was adjourned until November 13 for the defendants to show cause, after which the court will proceed to hear the motion on notice.

Politics

APC Chieftain, Owolabi, Hails Gov Oyebanji’s Emergency As Gubernatorial Candidate

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), in Ekiti State, Mr. Dare Owolabi, has commended the leadership of the party for the endorsement of the incumbent Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) as the APC governorship candidate for the Ekiti State gubernatorial election slated for 2026.

Mr. Owolabi, a senatorial hopefully for the Ekiti North Senatorial District, gave the commendation when he hosted leaders and members of the APC to a grand reception at his residence in Odo Oro Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of the state, to celebrate Governor Oyebanji’s affirmation as the APC flag bearer for the forthcoming Ekiti guber race.

The reception attended by over a thousand APC members and supporters in Ikole Local Government Area, was canivalesque as party members and supporters made merriments and were treated to victory dances.

Speaking at the reception, Owolabi, a philanthropist and community leader, said that with the way and manner the APC laid to rest the stormy issue of the party’s governorship nomination, the APC had demonstrated that “it is on a good stead to win the coming governorship election convincingly.”

While commending the leadership of the ApC in Ekiti State and at the national levels for the uncommon ability to weather stormy times, Owolabi reiterated that the sterling performances of Governor Oyebanji were testimonies that the governorship had taken the state to a higher level, hence the decision by the party to support him for a second term.

Owolabi commended the party’s leadership for their wisdom and consensus-building efforts, describing Governor Oyebanji’s emergence as a testament to his outstanding performance and exemplary leadership style.

He urged party members of the party in the state to continue to support the governor’s efforts at transforming the state, adding that the collective loyalty and cooperation of the members “are vital for the sustained growth and development of Ekiti State.”

This was just as he urged Governor Oyebanji not to spare any effort at bringing all members of the party together, saying that “more than anytime before now, this is the time for His Excellency, Governor Oyebanji to show that he remains the quintessential father of all and extend his usual open hands to all and sundry.”

Owolabi who appealed to those who earlier showed interest in the ticket before the consensus to remain loyal to the APC, counsel led that “this is the time everyone must show commitment and values that the APC is first before individual ambitions.”

He further appealed to those who are yet to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration Exercise to do so promptly and ensure they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which he described as an important tool for civic engagement and political empowerment.

Mr. Owolabi also expressed heartfelt appreciation to all supporters of the Irawo Owuro Project for their unwavering commitment and assured them of continued progress and success as the movement advanced.

Politics

JUST IN: All Enugu Reps Defect To APC

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

The entire Enugu State caucus in the House of Representatives has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The defection was announced on Thursday by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who read the lawmakers’ letters of resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party during plenary.

The event was witnessed by the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.

The defectors said they decided to dump their former political platforms due to what they described as unresolved internal crises threatening the stability of the opposition parties.

After the 2023 general election, the Labour Party won seven of the eight House of Representatives seats in Enugu State, while the PDP secured one.

With this development, the APC now controls the entire Enugu caucus in the House of Representatives.

Addressing journalists after their defection, the spokesman of the defectors and member representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, Nnolim Nnaji, said their decision was influenced by the need to align with the project-oriented administration of Governor Mbah.

He said, “Just come to Enugu and see what is happening there. The governor is doing a lot for our people. We also want to bring our state to the centre.

“This is not just a political move — it is a bold step into the future! A step borne out of courage, clarity, and our shared determination to reposition Nkanu East and West for greatness.

“For too long, our dear Enugu State has remained in opposition, watching from the sidelines as others shaped the destiny of our nation and accessed opportunities that could have transformed our people’s lives. That era is over! We refuse to remain spectators when we can be key players in Nigeria’s progress.

“By aligning with the APC — the party steering national transformation — we are connecting our constituency to the heartbeat of national development. This alignment will bring more projects, more jobs, better infrastructure, and greater empowerment for our youths, women, and communities.

“This decision wasn’t made on impulse. It comes from deep reflection and a burning desire to see our people rise above limits and take their rightful place in the national spotlight.”

The six defectors at Thursday’s plenary include Martins Oke, Anayo Onwuegbu, Nnamdi Agbo, Nnolim Nnaji, and Mark Obetta.

In a related development, the member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Daniel Asama, also dumped the Labour Party for the APC.

…Details later