‘Don’t involve me in 2027 running mate talks, Tinubu will decide’ – Dogara

Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said decisions on power-sharing and religious balance in Nigeria should be based on justice, not fear or political pressure.

Dogara made the remarks while speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme, against the backdrop of speculation that Vice-President Kashim Shettima may be dropped as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 general election.

The former lawmaker, who is a Christian, stressed that governance must focus on inclusiveness and fairness, noting that these values are essential for building a nation that works for everyone.

He said leaders should always put equity first when making sensitive political decisions that affect national unity.

Asked to respond to claims that his name was being mentioned as a potential running mate ahead of the president’s re-election bid, Dogara said, “leave me out of this”.

“I would have sincerely pleaded with you to leave me out of this, but let me say something,” Dogara said.

“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.”

Dogara said discussions around rotational presidency should also accommodate broader religious considerations.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“But honestly, if we’re going to do anything along those lines, it shouldn’t be that we are scared, but because, as men of it, we believe that God requires of us to do justice.

“And justice demands that we should balance things. I think that should be our concern.”

Speaking on the possibility of the APC fielding a Christian running mate in 2027, Dogara said the issue is being discussed.

“It’s a discussion, and I am aware that such discussions are already taking place,” he said.

“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.

“Ultimately whatever decisions that he takes, I believe that it is up to him, but if we have overwhelming majority of our people making a case that these things should be balanced, as a democrat, I sincerely believe that he will listen to it.

“Particularly for us northerners like me and you, I’ve always insisted that anybody who divides the north along religious lines has actually conquered the north.”

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