APC stalwart Ukkasha Rahama has urged Bola Tinubu to consider former speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking at a news conference in Bauchi, Mr Rahama, also national chairman Youth Progressives Forum of APC, said Messrs Tinubu and Dogara would make a perfect team for the 2023 poll.

“The APC has people that can be paired with Tinubu, which can add value to the presidential ticket, and the foremost so far is Dogara,” Mr Rahama said.

He stressed that the party must consider several things when choosing Mr Tinubu’s running mate to ensure the accommodation of interest groups in leadership.

Reiterating that the Tinubu-Dogara ticket would be best for a secular and multicultural country like Nigeria, he said this would also bring about equity and fairness.

“The emergence of Asiwaju as our party candidate has opened another political discussion, and to strike a balance, Tinubu and the leadership of the party should consider the choice of Dogara as the vice president,” Mr Rahama noted. “This forms the basis of our decision to address this conference to calm the nerves and draw the attention of our great party to ensure justice, fairness and equity to guide their selection of the vice-presidential candidate.”

He added that the consideration of Mr Dogara “as a good material for Tinubu is not ceded along with his tribe nor his religion,” but his political experience.

“Though religion has forced itself into the affairs of governance in Nigeria instead of credibility, competency and delivery hence the urgent need to take it out of the business of the government,” added the APC stalwart.

Mr Rahama also said the choice of Mr Dogara as the vice-presidential candidate would show APC as a sensitive party.

(NAN)