Dogara, Lawal meet Wike hours after campaigning against Muslim-Muslim ticket

Dogara, Lawal, and other Northern Christian stakeholders in the APC recently held a summit where they reiterated their opposition to the Muslim-Muslim ticket of their party.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Yakubu Dogara and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, have held a meeting with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

The meeting took place at the Governor's country home in Rumueprikom, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Pulse overserved that Wike's residence has become the new mecca for politicians since the end of presidential primaries across all political parties.

Recall that Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, paid a courtesy call on the Governor to discuss "vital issues of national interest,”

Similarly, on July 8, 2022, a delegation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors also visited Wike for a meeting.

The delegation, which consists of Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his colleagues from Ondo and Ekiti states, Rotimi Akeredolu and Kayode Fayemi respectively, visited Wike at his country home in the Port Harcourt area of Rivers state.

Meanwhile, during his address to journalists after the Saturday meeting, Dogara said the visit was hinged on the quest and search to build an all-inclusive Nigeria, Daily Trust reports.

The former Deputy Speaker said, “Everyone agrees with us that Governor Wike is one of those indispensable political leaders. For us, it is a search to build an all inclusive Nigeria. So we feel that as part of the agenda setting we should meet with him and that is the reason why we are here. And for the rest, whatever it is, maybe in the future we can discuss that.”

On his part, the former SGF explained that their mission was a brotherly visit to the Rivers State governor.

Pulse had earlier reported that Dogara, Lawal, and other Northern Christian stakeholders in the APC held a summit on Friday, July 29, 2022, where they reiterated their disapproval for a single faith presidential ticket.

During the summit, they called on Nigerians to reject any presidential ticket that doesn't reflect the religious diversity of the country in the 2023 general elections.

During his address after meeting Wike, Lawal said his interaction with the Rivers governor had no nothing to do with the northern leaders meeting of Friday

“We came to visit our brother. He (Wike) is our brother. So, every now and then, the Bible enjoins you to visit one another. That is what we just did.”

“No, there are many things that in the world for which you need to visit a brother, so there is nothing to do with our meeting in Abuja.”

Dogara and Lawal are still members of the APC but they have made it clear that they won't be supporting the party in the next year presidential election, except the decision to float a Muslim-Muslim ticket is rescinded.

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