FORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara says he does not belong to a political party for now but he only supports candidates across party lines for elective positions in the 2023 general elections.
Dogara, who represents Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal Constituency in the green chamber, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday monitored by News Point Nigeria.
He also said the fact that he supports candidates of different parties for various elective seats does not mean he is an “unstable character” as opined by his detractors.
Dogara was a known stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the presidential primary of the ruling party. The former speaker was one of those who strongly opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party and subsequently went public to endorse the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar against APC’s Bola Tinubu.
However, Dogara has opposed the reelection of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed of the PDP and expressed support for the APC governorship candidate in the March 18 election in Bauchi, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who is Nigeria’s former Chief of Air Staff.
Asked on Wednesday whether he is a PDP or an APC member, Dogara said he is not politically instable.
He said, “I am supporting candidates; I am not doing any political party for now, I am supporting candidates.
“Everybody knows that I backed Atiku Abubakar for Presidency for reasons I told the whole world but in Bauchi State, before primaries were concluded, I had supported the aspiration Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who is the current APC governorship candidate and I have my candidates for House of Assembly in my constituency.
“I have Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates that I helped midwife them into those positions, and I can’t abandon them for political stability.”
