Following the controversy generated by the choice of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has allayed fears of Christians in the country, saying they have no reason to worry.
The APC chairman made this comment yesterday when he led the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on a courtesy visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
LEADERSHIP had reported that the APC presidential candidate Ahmed Bola Tinubu had on Monday announced former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate, sparking angry reactions from several Christians and Christian bodies in the country who argued that the move failed to take into account the country’s diversity.
But describing the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as the work and will of God, Senator Adamu expressed also expressed confidence that the ruling party will win coming Saturday’s Osun governorship election as a pointer to its victory in 2023.
Speaking with journalists after meeting held behind closed doors with the president, the former Nasarawa State governor said the visit was to inform him about APC governorship mega rally in Osun State on Tuesday.
On the vexatious Muslim-Muslim ticket, Adamu explained that the party went through a rigorous, practical selection process before arriving at the decision.
According to him, Shettima is a Nigerian citizen who must not necessarily be either Muslim or Christian before being selected as the running mate to a presidential candidate.
Adamu said while nobody was willing to promote a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, the party was confronted by what he described as the reality of politics in the country in its quest to win the 2023 presidential poll.
He further said the choice of Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate should not be a subject to agitation by the Christian community.
He said, “The fact of the matter is we appreciate that the Christians are interesting; no doubt about it. We are as practical as we can in this situation and we do hope that people would see reason.
“Nobody is willing to promote Christianity or a Muslim ticket necessarily but we have to face the reality of our politics in this country and that is exactly what we are doing.
Christians have nothing to fear. Shettima is another Nigerian like me and you.
“We don’t have to be all Muslims or all Christians. It is the will of God that this time around he (Shettima) is going to be the vice president of this great country if we win the election. And we do hope and pray and we are working to win the election.”
Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who also spoke with reporters in a separate interview, said the debate over APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket was unnecessary, insisting that what is most important is good leadership.
“It’s better to have a good Christian than a bad Muslim and vice versa and we should also understand the antecedents of anybody involved in a particular decision.
“If you go to Borno State and ask the Christian community there, they will give you an impressive account of Shettima when he was the governor.
“We should not forget that the wife of the APC presidential candidate is Christian and a pastor. So, she will be the unofficial vice president and representative of the Christians at the presidency,” he said.
Ignore Religion, Vote Competence, Akeredolu Tells Nigerians
On his part, Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu yesterday called on Nigerians to vote for competence in the 2023 Presidential election, adding that the faith of the vice president does not affect performance in any government.
Governor Akeredolu expressed confidence that the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would rescue the nation.
“Muslim-Muslim ticket has nothing to do with performance. Let’s vote for someone that can do something. The buck stops at the table of the President. It is the president that you are voting for. He decides what happens. Whether it’s a Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian, it should not matter to us in the South because we fought for this.
“I do not doubt that given the opportunity, from what he has done in Lagos, Asiwaju Tinubu will turn things around for the better,” he said.
The governor spoke at the swearing-in of two new commissioners held at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, the State capital.
The new commissioners are Mr Sowore Akinwumi Samson and Mr Ologbese Adeboboye Joseph.
He charged them to shun distractions from members of their families, friends and political associates.
APC Stakeholders Make U-Turn, Back Tinubu’s Choice Of Shettima
Meanwhile, in an apparent volte face, some APC members under the aegis of APC National Stakeholders have withdrawn their opposing to Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying they endorse the choice of Sen Ibrahim Shettima as running mate to Ahmed Tinubu.
The party stakeholders, however, premised their abrupt reversal of position on the notion that it was better to prioritise capacity, competence and character over religion and ethnicity, two sentiments they said had failed to yield governance results in the past.
Speaking at press conference in Abuja, convener of APC national stakeholders, Aliyu Audu, urged Nigerians to consider Tinubu’s choice of the former governor of Borno State as a confirmation that Tinubu will not shy away from making tough decisions when the need arises in the county’s collective interest.
Justifying their sudden change of mind, the APC stakeholders said, “While we may have advocated the selection of a running mate with a faith different from that of the presidential candidate so as to give the sense of inclusion to followers of both major religions, we are aware that in order to build an effectively working society we must prioritise capacity, competence and character over religion and ethnicity especially as prioritising such sentiments in the past have not provided the desired goal of sense of inclusion, which can only truly be achieved when all Nigerians experience good governance at all levels regardless of their faith, ethnicity or social class.”
According to him, Tinubu in making this hard decision has reaffirmed the group’s trust and confidence in his abilities as a leader to make decisions in overall interest of the country, either in the immediate or for the future.
“The birth of a new Nigeria that works is upon us and we have every belief that Senator Kashim Shettima is one of the vehicles to that destination. His track records of bringing developments close to the people while he served as governor of Borno State, despite the challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency, places him above his peers,” he added.
The stakeholders described Shettima as a patriotic and detribalised Nigerian who relates well with people of different tribes and religion, a quality he has demonstrated by having some of his closest aides from the southern region and of different faiths.
“We promise to commit ourselves in ensuring not only the victory of the ticket, but one with unprecedented vote and margins ever recorded in the history of presidential contest in the country.
“We commend His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for settling for such an individual not only because he is a preferred choice, but because in reaching that decision, he consulted, listened and added the valuable insights of leading members of the party, political allies and key national figures to his own ideas before Senator Shettima was eventually unveiled as his running mate,” they concluded.
Same-faith Ticket, Threat To National Unity, Says PFN
However, a Christian group under the auspices of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the ruling APC, saying it is a threat to national unity.
A statement signed by the Kaduna State chairman of PFN, Apostle Emmanuel Egoh Bako, said: “We have noticed with great dismay the consistent disregard for our heterogeneous nature in Nigeria by our political players. This is done in the face of increasing weakness of the bond of unity. It is not only against the constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria but against the plan of God.
“The new trend of fielding party flag bearers with individuals from one faith is not consistent with our federal system. It has the potency to polarise our beloved nation at this crucial moment that all true citizens are searching for unity.
“We therefore declare Muslim-Muslim ticket barbaric and unacceptable. We shall not let it stand because it showcases our great nation in bad light”.
postle Bako further described it as an “irresponsible decision and a disregard for our diversities.”
“We call on all peace-loving citizens to reject this evil pattern that is gradually getting entrenched. Let’s unite and build a society on the basis of respect for everyone’s humanity,” he said.
He reiterated that Nigerians should wake up and reject the same faith ticket, saying that 2023 is an opportunity to open up Nigeria to real political civilisation.
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