Babachir Lawal renews attack on APC, accuses party of plotting to divide North with same faith ticket

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, on Wednesday described the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket as a demonic move aimed at creating divisions in the Northern part of the country.

Lawal, who stated this in a programme on Arise TV, predicted that APC would be soundly beaten in the 2023 elections.

The former SGF and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have launched several campaigns against APC since the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, picked the former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate on July 10.

Lawan insisted that Christians in APC were against the Muslim-Muslim ticket and would ensure the party’s defeat in the election.

He said: “The introduction of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC or same-faith ticket is a wicked plan to further create divisions within the north. We try as leaders of societies to live as brothers and sisters, but out of the blue, this demonic proposition just came out of the blue.

“For all lovers of unity in this country, in the north in particular where we are most affected, this ticket must never succeed. And we will make sure we defeat it in such a resounding manner that nobody in his right senses will ever think about it again, at least in the near future for our political journey in Nigeria.

“So, we are set on it and we are determined to kill it. Our people are mobilised, and our people are ready for the election.

READ ALSO: ‘No Muslim likes to live in acrimony with neighbours,’ Again, Babachir Lawal slams APC over choice of Shettima

“I and Dogara alone aren’t the only ones involved in this. Indeed, we are leaders of groups of about 40 leading Christian politicians in the north. We started work on this years back when we suspected that if a Muslim emerges from the south as the candidate for any of the political parties, there is a risk of what has happened that will happen.

“Now, there are two issues here. First and foremost, we are politicians and our job is to win elections and form government. Second, when we looked at this ticket and decided principally, it excludes northern Christians from governance. It will not be wise for us to hand ourselves and exclude ourselves from the incoming government.

“So, while we plan that the same faith ticket of APC should fail, we also believe that we should align with one of the leading political parties that has the chance of winning.

“Our strategy is we will not just waste our votes because we want to protest the same faith ticket of APC. We would like to partner with another group that is more sensitive to the Nigerian situation and realises that Nigeria needs harmony, unity, and peace.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now