2023: Dogara’s decision to support Atiku shows he’s not a religious bigot – Christian group
Mohammed Kaka Misau
A group under the banner of Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa APC Political Movement For All Christians has justified the decision of former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara to support the Presidential ambition of PDP’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The group while disowning reports that Dogara’s kinsmen have endorsed Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Muslim -Muslim ticket, said the the former speaker’s decision to support Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who is a Muslim in the 2023 general
elections justifies that he is not a religious bigot but a representative of peace, justice and inclusiveness which is in line with the teachings of christian religion.
“Therefore, we the 95%
Christians of his constituency are solidly behind him and behind CAN, and will never to
support a same-faith ticket in the forthcoming presidential election”, the group further maintained
Speaking in Tafawa Balewa town Saturday, barely a day after a group known as Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa Christian Support Group For APC announced the endorsement of the party’s Muslim/Muslim ticket, Mallam Yakubu Garba faulted the claim, describing it as a sham and shame, false and fabricated in many ways.
Mallam Yakubu Garba who is the Chairman of the group said that the reports going round that Christians in former House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara is supporting same faith ticket was carried out by some cash-out boys through a Trojan horse act to mislead members of the public.
The text which was jointly signed by the Chairman of the group, Mallam Yakubu Garba and the Secretary, Comrade Dinnigwa Luka aka Zebro indicated that the group, Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa APC Political Movement for All Christians which consists of Women, Elders and Youth groups as members.
“We read this drama with great dismay because the publication was false and fabricated in many ways”, the group said.
Mallam Garba noted that the group which endorsed the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the APC was a gathering of few individuals that includes Muslims and Christians who were paid to carry out such despicable act against the APC Christians of Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency.
The group added that the act was “against the
kinsmen of Rt. Hon. Dr. Yakubu Dogara who is, and still remains our political leader come rain come shine”.
“How can a political gathering of both Christians and Muslims make a statement about
the position of Christians in our constituency? Which among the key Christian APC bigwigs in our constituency was there? This is enough to show that such a gathering and statement is
inconsequential and should be regarded as such”, they maintained.
“In view of that, we are gathered here in our thousands to tell the whole world that none of the Rt. Hon. Dr Yakubu Dogara’s kinsmen is against him politically to oppose or betray his political ideologies”, Mallam Garba declared.
He further pointed out that the National body of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which is the supreme decision-making
body for all Christians has taken a clear stand against the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the forthcoming Presidential election, and it is binding on all well-meaning Christians.
“So, we don’t
know who are these individuals claiming to be Christians yet misrepresenting, undermining and
sabotaging the decision of CAN, the supreme Christian Body. This is akin to Korah’s rebellion
in the Bible (Numbers 16)”, the group said.