Muslim-Muslim ticket: CAN, MBF, Arewa ex-scribe, and others condemn APC’s stance

Image: Punch

The Muslim-Muslim ticket speculation was laid to rest when the APC presidential flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, announced former Borno State governor Senator Kashim Shettima as his substantive running mate.

The choice of Tinubu negates the advice of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which at the beginning warned presidential candidates to avoid fielding running mates from the same religion.

After disclosing to newsmen his choice of running mate, Tinubu declared in a statement the reason why he chose to field Shettima against public outcry: 

“In full compliance with existing law and regulation, I submitted all necessary documents regarding my nomination as the APC presidential candidate to INEC. But, as was expected, the choice of my vice presidential running mate remained an open and burning question.

“This gave rise to much speculation and debate. Recent events (the voluntary withdrawal of my dear friend and brother, Ibrahim Masari) mean that I am called upon, today, to put an end to the speculation. I have never been an indecisive man and have no present intention to become one.

“What I am, however, is a democrat. And a democrat must listen to, and consult with, the people and his advisors so that he may reform and govern wisely and on their behalf. This I have done. My political career was not built on blind indifference to the views of others. I appreciate the perspectives of leading members of the party, political allies and key national figures who see Nigeria’s future as I do. They gave me their views so that I might add their valuable insights to mine to reach the best decision possible and do so in a manner that strengthens the institutional fabric of our party as well as accelerates the evolution of our political democracy.

“Having now listened to the sage, careful advice of a broad section of the party and of the nation, there are a few points I feel I must make about the exceptional and extraordinary person with whom I will share the APC ticket and the principles of open and good governance that informed this choice.

“I am mindful of the energetic discourse concerning the possible religion of my running mate. Just and noble people have talked to me about this. Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to please the Christian community. Others have said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly, I cannot do both.

“Both sides of the debate have impressive reason and passionate arguments supporting their position. Both arguments are right in their own way. But neither is right in the way that Nigeria needs at the moment. As president, I hope to govern this nation toward uncommon progress. This will require innovation. It will require steps never before taken. It will also require decisions that are politically difficult and rare.

“Today, I announce my selection with pride because I have made it not based on religion or to please one community or the other. I made this choice because I believe this is the man who can help me bring the best governance to all Nigerians, period, regardless of their religious affiliation or considerations of ethnicity or region. This is why, today, I announce the selection of Shettima as my partner and running mate in the mission to advance and reclaim the fortunes of this great country and the hopes of its people.

“In 1993, Nigerians embrace Chief MKO Abiola and a fellow Muslim running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe in one of our fairest elections ever held.

The spirit of 1993 is upon us again in 2023.” 

However, shortly after the declaration, different reactions trailed the announcement. 

CAN

CAN kick against the selection of Shettima, a Muslim like Tinubu.

CAN spokesperson Adebayo Oladeji gave an interview to our source (Guardian) and said the decision made by APC and Tinubu was wrong and insensitive in a polarised country like ours.

He added that currently, Nigeria has a pastor as the vice president, and Christian clerics and worshippers and being slaughtered in their droves; then, under a Muslim-Muslim government, the security of lives and properties of Christians is under threat.

According to Oladeji, Nigerians must brace up for the consequences of their actions should they endorse and vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

In his words: “We knew this was what he was going to do and we have warned against it. It is up to Nigerians to decide on what they want.”

AREWA

Reacting to the move, AREWA, too, towed the line of CAN. Anthony Sani, the chieftain and former Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), queried the choice of Tinubu in picking Shettima and said the choice would further divide Nigeria instead of uniting the country.

He said: 

“The challenges posed by Muslim-Muslim ticket is not so much about winning the elections as to the aftermath of governance. In an era where some notable Nigerians have alleged Islamisation agenda against APC government, however misguided, this Muslim-Muslim ticket will provide such persons with more ammunition. More so that it will run against the promise by the APC candidate that he will unite the country by making Nigeria feel young again with the promise of glory days ahead.”

HURIWA

HURIWA, which stands for Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, described the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket as unconstitutional and illegal, then added that all Nigerians should reject the party at the poll. 

HURIWA said Tinubu’s decision was a wrong move and referred to Kaduna’s Muslim-Muslim ticket discrimination and has brought nothing but trouble in the last five years under Governor Nasir el-Rufai. 

The group said: “which constitutes an infraction against Section 42(1) of the Constitution and violation of broad-based composition of government as spelt out in section 14(3) of the Constitution on Federal Character Principles in appointments in Nigeria.”

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN)

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), a Human rights lawyer, urged Nigerians to reject the APC for the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential choice. He described the decision as “a terrible choice, in one million ways!”

In a statement on Sunday, he enjoined Nigerians to vote out APC for allegedly being insensitive. He said: “Nigerians, whether Muslims, Christians, traditionalists, etc., should reject APC with their votes come 2023.

“A Muslim-Muslim ticket in present-day Nigeria is fuel for Boko Haram, the incentive for ISWAP and a call for more terrorists. Unless of course, those parading the ticket are themselves complicit. There is no better way to insult our sensibilities. I pray it is not true.”

APC Rebirth Group

The APC rebirth group also voted against the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying they wished for a Muslim-Christian ticket for the party. Comrade Aliyu Audu, the Co-convener of the group, said he believes that the presidential flagbearer must have a good reason for going for Shettima against popular opinion.

The group said: “We had wished for otherwise but we trust in the wisdom and political knowledge and skills of Asiwaju to make the best decision in the overall interest of national unity and development. A government can only exist when the party wins the election.” 

MBF

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) expressed their fears on the topic, saying the APC’s choice is a danger to the collective wellbeing and unity of the country. They, therefore, assured Nigerians that the choice was an evil plot they would defeat in 2023.

Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the National President of the forum, revealed this in Makurdi, describing the choice as an unfortunate development.

He noted that the choice exposes the ignorance and insensitivity of the ruling party to the current mood and pains of Nigerians.

He said:

“It is an unfortunate development, unfortunate in the sense that we are living in a terrible period where the country is being tormented by insurgents from all over the place, starting from Borno with Boko Haram and Shettima is from there.

“And if such is coming now without consideration to the plurality of this country with regards to region, religion, and other issues, I think it is an unfortunate development.

“And for the presidential candidate of the APC to bow to such pressure is an unfortunate development. One would wish that they would look at what would be beneficial to Nigeria at this time.

“Nigerians have not recovered from the insurgency coming from mainly Islamic origin; it shows that the APC is insensitive to the plight of Nigeria and Nigerians. And it’s not ready to bring healing, reconciliation, and rescue Nigeria from the problems it is facing.

“Now, it is also an unfortunate development because this time is not the same as the MKO Abiola time, which was several years ago. These are times that religion should be handled with care.

Senator Aliyu Wamakko

With the anxiety within the camp of Northwest governors over Tinubu’s running mate, Senator Aliyu Maigatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto North pleaded for understanding among politicians. He encouraged politicians and stakeholders that as they prepare for the elections, “we as politicians and other stakeholders in the nation’s nascent democracy must play by the rules and ensure rancour-free activities; doing otherwise will not do us or the country any good.’’

He further begged qualified Nigerians to ensure they get registered and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which, according to him, remained the only instrument required to vote in credible leaders.

Olorunfemi Ayo, (LP)

Mr. Olorunfemi Ayo, the deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, equally weighed into the matter, saying the choice of APC was the height of the ruling party’s insensitivity to the secular makeup of the country. He added that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket choice did not come as a surprise to the Labour Party and Nigerians.

He said:

“To say that there are no Christians in the North or the Christians in the North are not competent or not worthy for an APC joint ticket in 2023 is to also justify what some people have been saying in different quarters that the plan of the President Buhari administration is to Islamise Nigeria.

“That is exactly what they are pushing, and they want to justify it by whatever means. The rest is left for Nigerians to decide whether they want to promote religious bigotry above the development of the country.

“In any political environment, where you are insensitive to the culture of the people and you want to force yourself on them. You can only continue to breed crises, as they started with crises from the inception of their government, till this time.”

guardian.ng

 

 

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