Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised Bola Tinubu to consult the ‘Noble Dozen’, before picking a running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu became the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, after he became victorious in the party’s presidential primaries at Eagles Square, Abuja on Wednesday.
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The Islamic group explained that ‘Noble Dozen’ is the name it gave to the twelve Northern governors who insisted that the South should be given the opportunity to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
MURIC made the suggestion in a statement signed by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday.
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The group said:
We will like to advise that apart from ensuring that the position of vice president in 2023 goes to the North, Senator Tinubu should consult the ‘Noble Dozen.
Those we refer to as the Noble Dozen are those twelve (12) sincere Northern governors who disabused the minds of Nigerians concerning the myth of Northern hegemony and a nonexistent caliphate oligarchy by insisting that APC’s presidential candidate must come from the South. This was a great sacrifice and a noble idea.
They demonstrated statesmanship, patriotism and nobility of thought by that action.
Meanwhile, Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor, has criticised Nigerians over the fixation on the religious affiliations of presidential candidates and their running mates.
El-Rufai made this call on Friday, June 10, in response to a question about the possibility of the All Progressives Congress fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket in order to emerge victorious in the 2023 elections.
He said;
We fixate too much on religion instead of capacity and competence and I appeal to the media to quit this narrative ahead of the 2023 polls. We are at a crossroads as a country and we need competent people in the affairs.
The Governor further related how President Muhammadu Buhari refused to dictate how delegates from his state should vote at the All Progressives Congress’ presidential primaries.
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The President had earlier said he had no anointed candidate in an election that was eventually won by Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
El-Rufai said President Buhari told the delegates to “vote their conscience.”
