Muhammad Sabiu
Former Speaker, House Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has said that it is time for the North to be given the chance to rule in 2023 to complete 14 years like the Southern region.
He said simple calculations showed that the southern region of Nigeria had ruled the country for 14 years, while the Northern region only ruled for 10 years.
To this end, he was of the view that for fairness and justice Nigerians should support the North to produce the President that will complete additional four years to meet up with the South.
He made this known during the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)Southern Senatorial District flag-off campaign for Sunday Katung and the presentation of flags on Monday in Zonkwa.
“To those saying why should a Muslim succeed another Muslim? I will say to them, the truth is what every Christian is called to.
” And if we must say the truth, Jonathan is a Christian, Obasanjo is a Christian, Obasanjo ruled for eight years, Jonathan ruled for six years. So, if we sum the two together, we, I said we because I am a Christian, we have ruled this country for 14 years. Buhari has ruled for eight years and Yar’Adua ruled for two years, making a total of 10 years.
“So, we can only be justified by allowing the Muslims to have a balance of four years. Also, the two Christian Presidents are from the South, so, the North has a balance of four years.
“In the context of present Nigeria where we are divided in such a way that we can say Nigeria has never been as divided, whether we are talking about the religious divide, political divide, ethnic divide, the fault lines are many and except we find a way to unite ourselves once more, we cannot build. We will continue to perish as fools.
“So, if you ask me as a politician, what is the greatest challenge of our country, you can say it is leadership, I believe so, but I believe it is unity first.
” But it is leadership that brings about unity and that is why leadership and unity go together. So, the first task is for us to unite ourselves.
” Whether we are talking about the challenge of killings we are witnessing here in Southern Kaduna, banditry, terrorism, whatever it is, the solution is that we unite ourselves because a divided people have never conquered anything. So, it requires unity for us to conquer all the challenges facing us in southern Kaduna and the entire country.
“So, I will want to tell us that, some people will tell us that, we are Christians, we cannot vote a Muslim.
” Those who hate the unity of this country will want us to emphasize religion over unity. They want to divide us according to our tribes, instead of bringing us together, so that, we can work together and build a nation that is strong, united and prosperous.
“They will tell you, why will a Muslim succeed another Muslim as President or why will a Fulani man succeed another Fulani man? I am being very honest, because these are the discussions you find on the streets, and some of us cannot deny the fact that, we are having these discussions. But, I want to tell us that, as I have said before unless we unite, we cannot conquer.
“And I tell you, that I come from a community that is challenged by this kind of killings that you witness in Southern Kaduna, Tafawa Balewa was a national flashpoint.
The solution to the killings was that we all came together, Muslims, Christians, Fulani and my tribe people formed a peace committee that I chaired. And from the day we formed that peace committee, there have been no killings. So, there is no challenge bigger than us, there is nothing we cannot overcome if we are united”.
He also advised the Southern Kaduna people not to waste their votes on a political party that cannot win the election.
“It is not my responsibility to tell the people of Southern Kaduna what to do, because you have been very smart politically. So, I am just here to remind us of the things we know, so that we don’t forget.
“If you are a pedestrian politician, ask yourself again, can you become Nigeria’s president without winning substantial votes from this region of Nirth-West based on the number of votes per zone as released by INEC?
“To become President of Nigeria, you have to get 35 to 40 per cent of the votes from the North-West and win massively in the other zones. So, can Labour Party get 25 per cent of the votes from the North-West? Of course not. So, let us. It deceives us, I am not very well schooled in the Qur’an but I am schooled in the Bible; the Bible is against waste, and Jesus Christ is against waste. Jesus Christ himself who is the author and finisher of our faith frowned against the waste of food.
“So, anyone who is telling you to go and waste your vote, that is the vote of the anti-Christ. So, I want you to register that, and let it sink. Our God is not a God of waste; He doesn’t waste anything. Anything He gives you, he said you must trade and profit it.
” The servant went and hid his talent, he didn’t make one kobo so that he can return it to the master the way it is. But you want to waste the votes that God has given you and you hope that God will commend you, no! Your name is a wicked and useless servant. These are not my words, but the words of Jesus Christ.
“So, by the grace of God, Nigeria will receive liberation, but we must vote for Atiku and Okowa at the federal level because that is the ticket that will unite Nigeria, that is the ticket that will rebuild Nigeria. At the state level, the APC fears that Isah Ashiru takes over the government house, so let’s give them what they fear”. He said.
