2027 VP Slot: North shouldn’t be divided along religious lines – Dogara

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has cautioned against efforts to divide the North along religious lines, warning that such attempt could weaken the region’s political influence.

Dogara spoke when he appeared on Channels Television, amid intensifying speculation over the future of Vice President Kashim Shettima on the APC ticket.

“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,” he said.

He said discussions are ongoing within the APC over the possibility of fielding a Christian as vice presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

Daily Trust reports that there is a wider ongoing internal debate within the ruling party over whether to maintain the current Muslim-Muslim ticket from the 2023 election or change the configuration ahead of the 2027.

Recently, the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, warned that altering the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for a northern Christian, could have negative political consequences for the APC.

According to the minister, removing a northern Muslim from the ticket could pose “a hurdle” for the party, particularly in key northern states where voting patterns are strongly tied to regional and religious considerations.

“If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think,” she said, arguing that such a move would show “a poor understanding of northern political dynamics.”

Asked to comment on whether the APC is actively considering a Christian running mate, Dogara said conversations on the matter are already underway.

“It’s a discussion, and I am aware that such discussions are already taking place,” he said, while stressing that President Tinubu retains full authority over the party’s ticket and the choice of running mate.

“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 decision that he takes, I believe that it is up to him,” Dogara said.

He however, distanced himself from permutations linking him to the vice presidential slot.

He insisted that the choice of a running mate remains the exclusive prerogative of President Tinubu.

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

He stressed that governance must be anchored on inclusiveness and fairness to build a nation that works for all citizens.

“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,” he said.

Dogara argued that discussions on rotational presidency and power sharing should go beyond geography and reflect religious representation.

“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.

He explained that religious balance should be understood as representation of faith communities rather than merely regional identities.

“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.”

Dogara warned that decisions on power sharing must not be driven by intimidation or political pressure.

“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 faith, we believe that God requires of us to do justice,” he said.

He added that if there is an overwhelming call for balanced representation, a democratically minded leader is likely to take that into account.

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