Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday asked to be left out of speculations suggesting he could replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Dogara spoke against the backdrop of growing debates within the All Progressives Congress, APC, over whether the party may again present a Muslim–Muslim ticket in the next presidential contest.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the former Speaker said discussions on the nation’s leadership structure should be guided by inclusion rather than fear or political pressure.
“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 the need for an inclusive government capable of uniting the country across religious and regional lines.
“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.
“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.
“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,” he added.
On the possibility of fielding a Christian running mate in 2027, Dogara said the matter remains open for discussion within the party and that such conversations are already ongoing.
“It’s a discussion, and I am aware that such discussions are already taking place,” he said.
However, Dogara noted that the final decision would rest largely with President Tinubu, adding that no sitting president has ever failed to secure his party’s presidential ticket.
“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,” he stated.