Forum of Christian and Muslim Political Leaders from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have adopted the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the consensus candidate for the 2023 election.
Arising from meeting of leaders and delegates from all over the north comprising of religions leaders, women and youth organisations took the decision in Abuja on Friday at the Atiku Abubakr Hall of Shehu Musa Yaradua centre.
The forum adopted the report of IRS technical committee led by a former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Hon Mohammed Umara Kumalia and Barrister Nunge Mele, SAN.
It will be recalled that the forum of Northern Christian and Muslim Leaders had on October 8, set up the committee to recommend a pan-Nigerian platform to adopt in the 2023 presidential election.
The resolution was contained in a communique jointly signed by a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State and minister of Water Resources during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo Hon.
Mukhari Shagari and Professor D. D. Sheni made this available to newsmen Friday evening in Bauchi.
The forum observed that the seven and a half years of the APC government has engendered wide spread national perception of its inability to tackle security challenges and turn around the national economy.
According to the forum, “A further compounding albatross on its neck is the unfortunate self-inflicted divisive same-faith-ticket which cannot guarantee the desired peace, unity and cohesion in Nigeria, a decision that has been kicked against by a huge population of Nigerians”.
It added that “The perception that the APC Presidential candidate has some health challenges makes people very uncomfortable. There is the fear that it may precipitate a situation where unelected surrogates will be running the government while the President is left attending to his health”.
