Politics

Anglican Church Knocks APC Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket

Published

3 years ago

July 27, 2022

Editor

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), on Wednesday, gave serious knock on the All Progressives Congress for insisting on a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite general outcry.

The church said it was irresponsible of the APC to place its political survival over the stability and peace of Nigeria.

The Anglican Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, Rev. Dr. Duke Akamisoko, stated these in an interview with journalists during the 2022 Pre-Synod briefing which was held in Abuja.

He described the party’s same-faith ticket as totally unacceptable to the Anglican Communion; adding that it constituted “a gross abuse of our collective sensitivity as a nation.”

Akamisoko said, “Muslim-Muslim ticket at a time like this is a demonstration of insensitivity to the plurality of religion; the polarised nature of Nigeria; the plight of Christians in Nigeria and the feelings of Christians in Northern Nigeria etc.

“In fact, it is a direct insult on the entire Christendom. The APC has made a choice; it is left to Christians in Nigeria to also make their choice.

“There can never be a rational explanation for such a selfish, greedy and self-centered decision by the APC. It is irresponsible of the APC to take its political survival over the stability and peace of Nigeria.

“The party ought to have taken a cue from the opposition against his vice presidential ambition and how President Muhammadu Buhari opted for a Christian running mate in 2015 instead of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“A Muslim-Muslim ticket is the greatest insult on the Christian community, especially in the Northern region. Is APC saying that there is no Northern Christian who is intelligent enough to be its running mate? Is APC saying that there is no Northern Christian who has a political value to deliver victory to it? Definitely, the answer is NO.”

He also spoke on other burning issues of national interest such as the lingering industrial action by university lecturers, insecurity, anti-graft war, the 2023 general election among others.

ASUU Strike
On the five-month-old strike by varsity workers, the Anglican Bishop warned that any country that did not take the education of its youths seriously was already preparing for a dooms day.

“For several months, ASUU, NASU and ASUP have been on strike. This is a very bad omen for our country.

“An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. Youths that are out of school are prone to participate in any act that can breach the peace and security of the country.

“Abandoning our youths in the wilderness of ASUU strike for the past five months is a great disservice to the Nigerian youths and the nation in general.

“The Federal Government should place more premium on the education sector, if indeed we are hoping for a better tomorrow,” he said.

Insecurity
On the worsening spate of insecurity in the country, the Bishop said: “As it is, today, nowhere is safe again. Our roads are no longer safe, the rail is no longer safe. And it is so obvious that a larger percentage of Nigerians cannot afford to travel by air.

“To attend places of worship, to go to market, school, even to stay in one’s house is no longer safe in this country. There has never been a time in this country that insecurity has been at the peak like this.

“We hereby call on the government to be alive to her responsibility of protecting lives and properties of its citizens.”

Anti-graft war
According to him, the Federal Government had failed Nigerians in the fight against corruption.

Akamisoko stated, “The spate at which corruption is growing in the country is alarming. The rate at which public officers are squandering public funds is second to none.

“We call on all the anti-graft agencies to wake up from slumber, imbibe high professionalism.

“We strongly advocate that every corrupt leader be brought to book, as that will serve as a deterrent to others.”

2023 general election
He said, “As 2023 general election draws closer, we call on Nigerians who have attained age of voting to obtain their PVC and go all out to perform their civic responsibility on the day of election.

“Nigerians should know that we can take our destiny in our hands by voting out bad leaders and bringing in visionary leaders that can take Nigeria to its promise land.

“We challenge party candidates who have already started campaigning for our votes, to focus on issues that can make Nigeria better and not irrelevances.

“We want them to know that one day, they shall give accounts of their stewardship to God who is the greatest and final judge of all mankind.

“We call on the Electoral Body to carry out its assignment without favour, bias or sentiment.

“As the body conducts the 2023 election, it should ensure that same is free and fair. This is the only way that the confidence of Nigerians can be built in the nation.”

Poor governance
The Bishop identified bad leadership as the main cause of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other vices in the country.

“It is on this premise we challenge leaders at all tiers of government to provide social amenities which can make life comfortable for Nigerians,” Akamisoko stated.

He, however, stressed that as part of the Anglican Church’s social responsibility in Nigeria’s capital city, it has decided to invest heavily in the health and educational development of the nation through the provision of 250-bed state-of-the-art hospital and a comprehensive secondary school.

PUNCH

Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

2 days ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

2 days ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

3 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”