Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has faulted the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to pick Muslim presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2023 election.
He wondered why the APC would decide to toe that line in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation like Nigeria.
Atiku said this in an interview with Arise TV on Friday.
Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, on July 10 announced Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State and serving senator, as his running mate.
Both Tinubu and Shettima are Muslims.
He explained that his choice of Mr Shettima does not mean that he is insensitive to the religious concerns of many people.
He said he chose the former Borno governor as his running mate because he believes he is the man who can help bring the best governance to all Nigerians.
However, Tinubu’s decision to appoint a fellow Muslim as his running mate has generated mixed reactions across the country.
Many Nigerians and organisations, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), had warned political parties against having presidential tickets in which the candidate and the running mate are of the same religion.
On his part, Atiku said a Muslim/Muslim ticket has “been his fundamental issue with Asiwaju” from years ago – even before the APC was formed.
He also recalled how he opposed a Muslim/Muslim ticket when President Muhammadu Buhari emerged the APC flag bearer in 2015.
“I don’t believe it is right for a country like Nigeria that is multi-ethnic and multi-religious. There should be a balance,” he said.
Atiku also said even though the APC vice-presidential candidate is from the North-east as himself, he (Atiku) stands a better chance of winning the election in that region.
While he maintained that Tinubu is his friend, he said they will always have political differences.
Condemnations, applause
Days after Shettima was announced as Tinubu’s running mate, some Christian political leaders in the APC rejected the party’s decision to field the former Borno governor as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
They described it as a display of crass insensitivity to the complexity of modern Nigeria and the entire Church.
They said it is also a betrayal of the advocates of unity and peaceful co-existence with the Muslims including notable Imams who had “forewarned the party and the candidate from traveling that treacherous route.”
Similarly, a former Secretary General of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, condemned the party’s decision, describing it as “satanic” and an avenue for failure in 2023.
Some prominent members of the APC, including the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege as well as lawmakers of the APC North-east caucus have hailed Shettima’s choice.
They described it as an excellent choice.
Both the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and President Muhammadu Buhari have since declared their support for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.
The party believes it is the best way to secure victory at the polls in 2023.
Premium Times
