APC Northern Christians Group Distances Self From Obi’s Endorsement By Ex SGF

Members of a group of northern Christians in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have distanced themselves from the endorsement of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

The group is led by Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives.

Ex SGF Lawal had in a statement on Thursday said the group has agreed to endorse Obi.

The group had earlier expressed reservations over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, and said it would adopt a consensus candidate.

However, in another statement, eight members of the group said Lawal spoke for himself, adding that a collective decision would be announced soon.

“We want to draw the attention of the general public to the recent position canvassed by our Chairman, Engr B D Lawal, as the position of our Group,” the statement reads.

“We wish to state that necessary consultations have been concluded, and based on manifestly unassailable empirical data, the group is poised to adopt a position which will be made known to the public at an interfaith event to be held very soon.

“Suffice to say that no one in the group including the Chairman has been mandated to speak to the public about our position at this material time.

“Based on our modus operandi, our position was meant to be presented to the general public at the event above referred to. That has not changed.

“Consequently, the decision to endorse a particular candidate and the statement credited to the chairman are solely the decision and views of the Chairman which he is absolutely entitled to but not that of the group.

“We hope this statement clears all the querries most of us have been inundated with on this all important subject matter.”

Signatories to the statement Dogara; Simon Achuba, former Kogi deputy governor; Albert Atiwurcha; Doknan Sheni; Mela A. Nunge, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN); Ishaya Bauka, a retired general; Ibrahim Haruna; and Leah Olusiyi.