Politics

Presidency: Tinubu best Muslim candidate – MURIC

Published

5 years ago

January 14, 2022

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The Islamic human rights organization, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, on Friday described Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a candidate that fits into its long-term aspiration for a Yoruba Muslim President.

MURIC made the remark while noting that any party that picks a Yoruba Christian presidential candidate may lose.

The group made the remark in a statement signed by its Director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Tinubu had on Monday hinted on running for the presidency in 2023.

The former governor of Lagos State had disclosed that he informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to run for the Presidency in 2023.

The APC National Leader disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja, where he stated that becoming Nigeria’s president was his life-long aspiration.

Reacting to Tinubu’s declaration, Akintola said: “It is no longer news that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared his intention to contest for the post of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This happened on Monday, 10th January, 2022.

“It will be recalled that our organisation has repeatedly demanded the emergence of a Yoruba Muslim candidate for the post of president of this country because of the prolonged religious persecution being faced by Muslims in the South West. We have been consistent in this demand. This is verifiable in at least four different press statements issued by us in the past.

“Tinubu’s declaration for the highest post in the land is therefore a welcome development. Also in pursuit of this campaign, MURIC has spent the last four days from Monday 10th January, 2022 (when Tinubu made his declaration) to Thursday, 13th January consulting its state branches in the Yoruba states : Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. The outcome of our investigation reveals a resounding support for Tinubu’s declaration.

“All our state branches confirmed that Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been close enough to Yoruba Muslims. The Lagos chapter of MURIC also vouched that although Tinubu is not the type that will marginalize Nigerian Christians, at the same time, he will not estrange Yoruba Muslims or ignore their complaints when he becomes president of Nigeria.

“This is the time Yoruba Muslims need the support of their Muslim brethren all over the country to ensure that Tinubu emerges as the candidate of his party at the primaries. They should also vote for him massively during the presidential elections to ensure that he emerges as the president of Nigeria to be sworn in on 29th May, 2023.

“This is the only fair thing that can happen to Yoruba Muslims. Interestingly enough, nobody can claim that the advent of Tinubu as the president of Nigeria is unfair to Yoruba Christians because at least three Yoruba Christians have been both presidents and vice presidents of Nigeria.

“Mathew Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo was military head of state and president (1976 – 1979, 1999 – 2007). Earnest Shonekan was interim head of state (August 1993 – November 1993). Right now, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor of the Redeemed Church, has been vice president of Nigeria for the past seven years (from 2015 to date).

“But no single Yoruba Muslim has had the opportunity to taste power in the centre. It is therefore the turn of a Yoruba Muslim and the cap fits Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim born into a strong Muslim family. Yoruba Muslims are proud of Tinubu as a politician of timber, caliber and caterpillar. He has the mandate of Yoruba Muslims.

“We sound out a caveat emptor to all political parties in the country. Any party that picks a Yoruba Christian as its presidential candidate is on its own. Yoruba Muslims and, indeed, Muslims North and South, will not vote for such a candidate.

“We do not wish to be misunderstood. We will therefore reiterate our position on Christian candidates in the coming presidential election. MURIC has no objection to Christian candidates emerging from any other geo-political zone. It means we are not saying that a Christian cannot be president of Nigeria. We are simply saying that such a Christian should not be a Yoruba man or woman.

“Yoruba Muslims have been marginalized for so long. Politically, Christians have monopolised ministerial positions, state commissionership, boards and agencies. Economically, civil service jobs are selectively offered. The education sector has been the Archiles heel of Yoruba Muslims and a concentration camp where Muslim children are forced to adopt Christian culture. A Christian president from the South West will therefore turn the headache of Yoruba Muslims into migraine.

“MURIC will not be partisan. We will give all political parties a level playing ground. Therefore, we will also support any other political party that picks a Muslim candidate from the South West. No political party should claim that it cannot find qualified Muslim politicians when the likes of Babatunde Fashola, Dr. Muiz Banire, Dr. Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem, Senator Fatai Buhari, Rauf Aregbesola, etc, are making waves on the Nigerian political architecture.

“Our target is the liberation of Yoruba Muslims from the shackles of political marginalisation, socio-economic repression and educational enslavement. While MURIC will never exhibit enmity, derision or contempt towards Christians and people of other faiths, it has zero tolerance for Muslim haters. Aluta continua : no retreat, no surrender until victoria acerta.”

Related Topics:ISLAMIC GROUP Presidency Tinubu

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Politics

2027: APC governors reject any form of political alliance, say it’s capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election

Published

5 days ago

September 15, 2026

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The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has said it will not endorse any alliance or political arrangements that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.

The forum chairman, Imo governor, Hope Uzodimma, speaking in Abuja after the forum’s meeting, said his colleagues would exclusively support Tinubu and APC candidates at all levels in the 2027 elections.

“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr president, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma, who was flanked by his colleagues, said.

“In other words, the forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate.”

He said the governors’ campaign efforts would focus on all APC candidates contesting under the party’s platform.

“Because our candidates are standing in the election as being sponsored by our party, the governor’s campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates,” Uzodimma said.

He said the forum would not entertain any arrangement that could “create confusion, divided loyalty or competing interests” within the party.

Uzodimma also said the APC would adopt an integrated, locally responsive campaign structure ahead of the 2027 elections, with all levels of the party’s campaign architecture aligned with Tinubu’s expectations and the party’s strategic objectives.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is leading the rainbow coalition, a cross-party alliance supporting Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Wike said the coalition is a shift from party politics to a collective political movement focused on advancing the state’s interests.

Politics

INEC clears 18 presidential candidates, running mates for 2027 poll

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2026

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a list of 18 presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 presidential election.

The final list, titled “Presidential and National Assembly Elections for Jan, 2027 – Presidential Final List of Candidates”, was signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC secretary.

The list includes major contenders such as Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).

Atiku is listed with Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate, while Tinubu is paired with Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, is listed with Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State, as his running mate.

Sowore is paired with Haruna Magashi.

Other presidential candidates on the list are Rufai Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance (AA); Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party (APP); Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); and Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party (BP).

Also listed are Adebisi Olusoji of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA); Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party (LP); Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

Donald Duke is listed as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Adewole Adebayo is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The remaining candidates are Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The document also contains the ages, gender, and academic qualifications of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

The presidential and national assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections would be held on February 6, 2027.

Politics

‘We’ll take care of you if we win presidency’ — Kwankwaso asks Atiku to step down

Published

1 week ago

September 10, 2026

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The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to step down from the 2027 presidential race.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano state, spoke at his residence in Abuja during a meeting with members of the Fulani Farmers Association.

According to Thecable, Kwankwaso, who is running mate to Peter Obi, NDC presidential candidate, urged Atiku to reconsider his presidential ambition, citing his age and health.

He added that he and Obi would take care of Atiku if they won the presidency.

“Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health,” he said in Hausa.

“If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him.”

Abubakar has run for the number one office six times, but has been on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions — 2007, 2019, and 2023.

In April, the former vice-president, who will turn 81 next year, said the 2027 general election would be his last attempt at the presidency.

Atiku was conferred the title of Wazirin Adamawa in June 2017 by Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the 12th traditional ruler of the Adamawa emirate, following the death of Muhammad Abba, the previous titleholder.

Atiku had held the title of Turaki of Adamawa since 1982, which was eventually passed to his son, Aliyu.

The Wazirin Adamawa is a high-ranking traditional title in the Adamawa Emirate, with the holder serving as the emir’s prime minister, most senior councillor, kingmaker and close adviser.

In 2025, Adamawa state government issued a directive requiring all kingmakers and traditional council members to be indigenes of the emirates or chiefdoms they represent.

The policy was said to have stripped Atiku of the Wazirin title, as he hails from Jada in the Ganye emirate.