July 12, (THEWILL) – A coalition of Christians of Northern extraction in the All Progressive Congress (APC) has warned that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the party for the 2023 general elections would have serious and grave consequences.
The coalition comprising of christian politicians in the 19 Northern States within APC, said they cannot in all fairness to their consciences and faith, go to their various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The group stated this in a communiqué issued on Tuesday, in Abuja, at the end of its meeting, which discussed the issues of the party’s Muslim- Muslim ticket and the implications to the nation, signed by its Chairman, Prof. Doknan Sheni and secretary, General Ishaya Bauka.
THEWILL reports that Tinubu, had on Sunday, in Daura, Katsina State, announced former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate.
Shettima, who is currently representing Borno Central in the National Assembly, is a Muslim, just like Tinubu.
While describing the development as unacceptable, the coalition said Nigeria is a multi-religious and a constitutional democracy and not a theocracy, adding that the current political atmosphere of the nation is different from what occurred in 1993.
The communiqué reads: “The christian politicians in the nineteen (19) Northern States within APC met in Abuja to deliberate on the issue of the party’s Muslim–Muslim president and vice president candidates and the implications for the nation.
“The meeting decided as follows: that as Christians within APC, we cannot in all fairness to our consciences and our faith go to our various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim–Muslim ticket.
“Nigeria is a multi religious and a constitutional democracy and NOT a theocracy. The current political atmosphere of the nation is different from what occurred in 1993 and therefore, a Moslem-Moslem ticket is unacceptable.
“The selection of a Moslem vice presidential candidate portrayed insensitivity to the Christians in the Nation
“The fear of the Christians in the north and the nation in general is that the APC party will be viewed as an Islamic party, and that the Muslim–Muslim ticket was not possible in 2015, why should it be possible in 2023?
“More so, that we are apprehensive that the person picked might have had a hand in the Chibok girls’ saga and other terror activities.
“Muslim–Muslim ticket would undermine the election chances of Christian candidates in APC, in the various states in the North.
“The Christians in the north and the whole nation are highly aggravated, considering that the chairman of the party is a Muslim, deputy chairman (North) is a Muslim, the president of the Senate is a Muslim, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims, and now both the presidential and vice presidential candidates are Muslims.
“Apart from this violating the constitution section 14 subsection 3, if this was to be reversed that all these were Christians, can any Muslim in the North be able to sell the APC presidential tickets to any Muslim Ummah?”
They warned of serious and grave consequences, if the selection of a Muslim vice Presidential candidate is not changed.
“If this selection of a Muslim Vice President candidate is not changed, there will be serious and grave consequences.”
“At this moment of national peril, what should be paramount in Nigeria is unity and not infrastructure or economy. For without unity we cannot build.
“Any party or candidate that elevates the greed of a few above the needs of the many has no business running the affairs of Nigeria.”
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