Politics

Muslim-Muslim Ticket Suicide Mission, Says APC Christian Group

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2022

By embarking on the Muslim-Muslim ticket despite national outcry, the All Progressives Congress has commenced a suicide mission that can sink the party, except stringent measures are taken, its supporters under the aegis of League of Concerned Christian Youth in the APC, said on Tuesday.

According to them, the decision by the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to chose Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate had portrayed the party in the most unpleasant light before the generality of Nigerians as a party devoid of religious and ethnic tolerance concerning the plurality of the country.

The convener of the APC-LCCY, Patrick Maiyaki, during a media briefing, stressed the need for the leadership of the party to substitute Shettima with a Christian, saying it would guarantee victory for the party in next year poll.

The agitation came 24 hours after
the demand by a coalition of stakeholders of the party from the North East and North Central that the APC should revisit its choice of Shettima and Governor Simon Lalong as vice-presidential candidate and Director-General of its campaign organisation.

According to them, the party’s insistence on Muslim-Muslim ticket has caused untold disaffection in its ranks and file.

The Secretary-General of the APC stakeholders, Dauda Yakubu, said the leadership of the APC must address the alleged marginalisation of christians in the party before September 20 slated by Independent National Electoral Commission to publish the final list of candidates for presidential election.

Yakubu said the choice of Shettima as running mate to Tinubu amounted to insensitivity and utter disrespect for the ethnic and religious plurality of the country.

Maiyaki told journalists on Tuesday that what the APC had done with its policy on Muslim-Muslim ticket was a suicide mission.

He said, “It is our considered opinion that the leadership of the party must come to terms with the reality that is fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the presidential elections would be a suicide mission that must be aborted as soon as practicable if the APC is desirous of electoral success at the presidential election.

“The implication of the APC losing the presidential election cannot be overemphasized, hence the need for the party’s leadership to act with utmost honesty and sincerity of heart and purpose to realize that the Muslim-Muslim Ticket would work against the party in the presidential elections.

“As a group, we believe all hope is not lost as the chances of the APC would be bolstered should the leadership of the party effect a change in the composition of the party’s presidential Ticket.

“The fact that Nigerians have randomly rejected the Muslim-Muslim Ticket before the election indicates that the outcome of the presidential elections would not be any different, hence the need for urgent actions toward rejigging the party’s presidential Ticket for the polls.

“We wish to state that the APC is blessed with an array of Christian candidates that can complement the presidential Ticket with the utmost respect to the vice presidential candidate of the party, Senator Kashim Shettima.

“We are, therefore, using this medium to appeal to the leadership of the party to take advantage of the opportunity to make a replacement for the vice presidential candidate of the party before the expiration of the deadline issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“It behoves the party’s leadership to act before September 20 when the Independent National Electoral Commission is expected to publish the final list of presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential elections.

“As concerned stakeholders of the party, our support for the party remains unflinching. This much we have exhibited on numerous forums, conferences and other public engagements across the country. Our emphasis remains on how to win the elections for the party.

“One of the ways the party can lose the elections is if it goes ahead with the Muslim-Muslim Ticket that has been condemned and rejected by the bulk of Nigerians”.

Maiyaki called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to urgently save the party from electoral misfortunes at the general elections.

Politics

Court Stops 2025 PDP National Convention

Published

1 hour ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday halted the planned 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the party complied with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit was filed by three aggrieved members of the party namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) seeking to stop the convention on the ground of violation to the Electoral law.

Delivering the judgment, the Judge also restrained INEC from accepting report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.

The Judge held that INEC is not entitled to give effect to the convention a party not done in accordance with the Constitution, Electoral Act and the guidelines/regulations of political parties.

The plaintiffs instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of the PDP scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State where new National Officers are expected to be elected on the ground of breach of the party’s Constitution.

The nine defendants are, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); PDP; Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party; Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary of the party; National Working Committee (NWC); and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party; Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; Ali Odefa; and Emmanuel Ogidi.

Politics

2027: Why Jonathan Can’t Run For President – Appeal Court Ex-President

Published

1 hour ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has clarified why former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot contest the 2027 presidential election.

According to Salami, the Nigerian Constitution explicitly bars any individual from holding the office of President for more than eight years, making Jonathan ineligible to run again.

He explained that Jonathan had already completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before serving his own full term, which constitutionally disqualifies him from seeking another.

In an opinion piece, Salami argued that any attempt by Jonathan to contest and win in 2027 would amount to a violation of the law, stressing that such a victory would be nullified by the courts.

“It is painstakingly and dispassionately demonstrated that the ambition of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest for the office of the president in the 2027 general election is effectively and undoubtedly shot down,” Salami stated.

Politics

PDP Reacts To Court Ruling On Planned Convention

Published

1 hour ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made a formal reaction on Friday to the judgment of the Abuja High Court, which stopped its planned November 15 Ibadan National Elective Convention, saying that the judgment didn’t affect its preparations for the event.

While describing the action of the court as “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process”, the party called on its members to remain focused on going to Ibadan for the convention.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is appalled by the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, presided over by Honorable Justice Kolawole Omotosho today, describing it as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.

“However, the PDP states that the judgment of the court does not vitiate its ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards the National Convention to elect new National Officers to pilot the affairs of the Party for the next four years”, the National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, said in a reaction to the judgment.

The party referenced the April 4 judgment of the Supreme Court, which empowered political parties to regulate its internal affairs, noting that the party would go ahead to host the convention.

However, Ologunagba clarified that as a law-abiding organisation, the PDP had also directed its lawyers to appeal the judgment.

The stated further, “Our Party notes the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which affirms the supremacy of a political party in the management of its internal affairs.

“The PDP therefore charges its members, Chapter and Organs to remain steadfast and focused on preparations towards the holding of the National Convention of our Party.

“Nevertheless, the PDP as the leading opposition Party in Nigeria committed to the Rule of Law has accordingly directed its lawyers to take immediate action to appeal this judgment in our unwavering determination to uphold, defend and promote multi-party democracy in our country.”

Three aggrieved members of the party namely, Honourable Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman); Honourable Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman); and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South), had dragged the PDP to court, asking to to stop the convention on the grounds of violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the PDP’s constitution.

Specifically, they had cited alleged exclusion of some key stakeholders from the preparations for the convention among other concerns.