Politics

APC Group Protests Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Seeks Shettima’s Replacement

Published

3 years ago

August 15, 2022

Hundreds of stakeholders and party supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress on Monday took to the streets of Lagos to protest the party’s stance on the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The demonstrators, under the aegis of the Coalition of APC Stakeholders Network and Southwest Supporters of Tinubu, began their peaceful walk from the popular Shoprite Shopping Mall in Ikeja to the State House in the Central Business District area of Alausa.

Chanting solidarity songs, the protesters walked through the heavy traffic created by the demonstration while displaying several banners that read ‘Dear Baba Asiwaju, Let Shettima Step Down in Yoruba Interest’, ‘President Buhari and Tinubu should rethink Muslim-Muslim ticket’, and ‘Tinubu, replace Shettima with Christian VP to balance the ticket.’

The development is coming barely one month after a similar protest rocked the APC secretariat in Abuja.

Hundreds of demonstrators had stormed the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress to register their grievance over the position of the party on the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The protest took place almost at the same time the leadership of the APC was unveiling former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, as the running mate of its Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua in Abuja.

The demonstration, which was led by a few party members under the aegis of APC Hausa-Fulani Youth Forum, saw the delegation arrive at the Secretariat in six luxury buses and a few cars, raising different banners and chanting solidarity songs.

Some of the banners read ‘A cry for justice’, ‘Drop Shettima and give slot to our Christian brothers’, ‘Discrimination and mutual suspicion in our country’ among others.

Addressing journalists in front of the State House in Alausa, President-General of the group, Elder Samuel Arokoyo, disclosed that the only obstacle between APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the presidency in 2023 is his choice of running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

According to him, many of his supporters including those in the South West were shocked that Tinubu opted for a fellow Muslim to become the vice-presidential candidate.

While describing Tinubu as a ‘political colossus and astute political strategist’ who has successfully built an enviable foundation for the party, Arokoyo disclosed that the only way the former Lagos State governor can redeem himself is to replace Shettima with a Christian candidate.

He said, “Tinubu has been crucial in the nation’s democracy being an important figure for almost four decades hence his emergence as APC presidential candidate was perceived as a breadth of fresh air.

“As a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country, any attempt for one religion to dominate the political structure could only widen the gap of mistrust and destroy the delicate sense of tolerance cultivated over the years.

“This is why the choice of Shettima was not only ill-timed but a total disregard for the diversity of the country, crushing the bridges built to connect the religious differences and promote ethnic harmonious co-existence”.

The coalition reiterated that the essence of the peaceful protest was to urge the party’s presidential candidate to drop Shettima for equity and fairness.

Arokoyo stressed that considering a Northern Christian running mate for the ticket could fetch Tinubu close to 70 per cent of Christian votes in the following northern states Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Adamawa, Gombe, Borno, and the FCT whose votes can make the difference.

“We want the best for the nation and the Muslim-Muslim ticket isn’t. This will set negative precedents for future generations. We must not fail our children.

“In place of Shettima, Tinubu should pick a Christian from the north-central. Doing so will assure the APC of a higher chance of gathering more votes from the North and across the country.

“The north-central region dominated by Christians played a vital role in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections. As popular as PMB is in the North, the only times he succeeded were when he won this zone, despite always dominating the Muslim-dominated North West and North East in his previous three attempts.

“Tinubu will write his name in gold should he make this bold decision. He will become the toast of Christians. Imagine the kind of momentum our leader will gather should he get the backing of almost 50 million Christians in Nigeria,” he said.

Related Topics:2023 election APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

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Politics

BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Approves Tinubu’s N1.15tn Loan Request

Published

1 day ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Senate has approved the request of President Bola Tinubu to raise N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to cover the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit.

This comes after the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary on Wednesday.

According to the committee, the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, representing an increase of N5.25 trillion over the N54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive.

The expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion. Of this, N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded deficit of approximately N1.15 trillion (N1,147,462,863,321).

In a related development, a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi was adopted, directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify its oversight to ensure that the borrowed funds are properly implemented in the 2025 fiscal year and used strictly for their intended purposes.

Recall that President Tinubu had on November 4th requested the approval of the National Assembly for a fresh N1.15 trillion borrowing from the domestic debt market to help finance the deficit in the 2025 budget.

The President’s request was conveyed in a letter. According to the letter, the proposed borrowing is intended to bridge the funding gap and ensure full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.

Politics

Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Editor

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

Politics

JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

Published

1 week ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later