Tinubu in Trouble As 19 States Northern APC Christian Leaders Make a Stand
- The Muslim-Muslim presidential and vice presidential of Tinubu and Shettima has been rejected by some Christian leaders
- Specifically, Christian political leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north rejected the ticket
- The Christians claimed they cannot in all fairness go to their various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim-Muslim ticket
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Christian political leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north say they cannot campaign for the party over the decision to field Muslims as presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
On Sunday, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of APC, unveiled Kashim Shettima, former Borno governor, as his running mate for the 2023 elections.
Source: Twitter
The announcement has elicited mixed reactions from different groups across the country.
The Christian leaders across the 19 northern states, in a communique issued after a meeting on Monday, expressed reservations over the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket.
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“As Christians within the APC, we cannot in all fairness to our consciences and faith, go to our various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,” the communique reads.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious and a constitutional democracy and NOT a theocracy with religion as a major national fault line which cannot be whimsically manipulated without dire political consequences on our peaceful co-existence as a people.”
According to the communique, which was signed by Doknan Sheni, Ishaya Bauka and Saidu Ibrahim, the Christian APC leaders in the north said the current political atmosphere of the nation is different from what obtained in 1993 when MKO Abiola, who was a Muslim, chose another Muslim as running mate.
They also said the Muslim-Muslim ticket would make it hard for people to believe that the party is not pursuing an “Islamisation” agenda.
“The selection of a Muslim running mate is a display of crass insensitivity to the complexity of modern Nigeria and the entire Church,” they said.
“That the APC has always come under the suspicion of the Church as pursuing an Islamisation agenda. Hence, the various labels of the APC as: Islamic Movement, Islamic brotherhood, Janjaweed party, Boko Haram party, etc. Now with all the positions in the hands of our Muslim brothers, it would take ingenious mendacity to prove otherwise.
“If the APC said a Muslim-Muslim ticket would be injurious to the health of our nation in 2015, what has therefore radically changed to make Muslim-Muslim ticket good for the health of our nation in 2023 if we may ask?
“That the rejection of a Muslim – Muslim ticket by Christians would undermine the electoral fortunes of the APC and its candidates across all States and constituencies where Christians enjoy a numerical advantage. By so doing, APC has recklessly thrown its Christian candidates under the bus across the nation.
“We are disheartened that someone who wants to be a leader for all sections of the country is reasoning to religious exclusivism as a tool for winning an election. This will certainly result in a massive revolt against the party. Leadership is all about inclusiveness, justice and equity.”
The group also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the matter in the interest of “peace and stability of the nation.”
Peter Obi: Young girl donates her savings to Labour Party presidential candidate's campaign
Meanwhile, a young Nigerian girl, Covenant Onyebuchi on Tuesday, July 12 donated her savings to the campaign of Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Obi who was in Enugu for a live interview on a radio station was accosted by the girl while he was about departing.
The video of the girl presenting the money to Obi has gone viral on social media. While donating the money to Obi's campaign, Covenant said:
“I have been trying to save up money, so I prayed yesterday and I said I wanted to see a humble man, and God answered my prayers.
Source: Legit.ng
