In advance of the 2023 presidential election, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil rights advocacy group, has warned the G5, a group of five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against endorsing the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, due to the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
If the rumoured support of Tinubu by the G5 were accurate, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said that it would be a “betrayal of constitutional democracy and a grievous injustice which defies the Federal Character principles.”
Following their meeting with the former governor of Lagos State in London last week, there have been widespread rumours that the G5 will support Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, who is Tinubu’s running mate.
Although the G5’s head, the governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, claimed on Friday that the group had not endorsed Tinubu, there is still uncertainty because the G5 had previously stated that they will reveal their chosen candidate this month.
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HURIWA claimed in the statement that any agreement the G5 made with Tinubu would be wrong and a betrayal of them.
“Section 318(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 is clear on Federal Character principle as one to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the nation.
“However, the APC acted in total violation of this principle with the selection of a fellow Muslim, a former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, as Tinubu’s running mate.
“Any deal struck by the G5 with Tinubu is condemnable and it is a betrayal of themselves and constitutional democracy if it is true that the group is endorsing the Muslim-Muslim ticket of All Progressives Congress.
“This will mean negating the Federal Character principles of the Constitution; it will also show that the G5 is a sham and Nigerians should not take the five governors seriously because they are on the lookout for their selfish interests and not the interests of Nigerians,” the statement said in part.
