Christian political leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north have expressed reservations over the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The Christian leaders indicated that they cannot campaign for the party due to the decision to field Muslims as presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Last year, Sunday, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of APC, unveiled Kashim Shettima, former Borno governor, as his running mate.
The announcement garnered mixed reactions from different groups across the country.
The Christian leaders across the 19 northern states, said this in a communique issued after a meeting on Monday.
“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 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.
“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.”
- Breaking: Ohanaeze President General, George Obiozor, confirmed dead - December 28, 2022
- US to support NDLEA on improved intelligence gathering capacity - December 27, 2022
- Why diversified HIV/AIDS prevention tools matter for women - December 26, 2022
