APC national stakeholders are opposing the fielding of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election.
It is expected that Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the ruling party’s presidential candidate and a Muslim from the Southwest, will choose a running mate from the North. Former Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima and Kaduna State Gov. Nasir El-Rufai have been mentioned as potential candidates from the North.
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Stakeholders Forum Convener Aliyu Audu made a call for the APC and Progressive Governor’s Forum to narrow their search for a northern Christian vice-presidential candidate at a Democracy Day commemoration on June 12.
According to him, national inclusion and unity will be promoted if he rejects the temptation to run with another Muslim candidate as his running mate.
He explained, “We’re aware that religion shouldn’t be a deciding factor in our leadership selection process. The unusual situation in which the country finds itself necessitates thoughtful consideration of the decisions we make insofar as they affect our national lives.
Our fault lines of ethnicity and religion divide the country today, and we can’t afford to lose this sensibility when making critical decisions.
The All Progressives Congress should be guided by these sensibilities when selecting a Vice Presidential Candidate for the party.”
It was Audu’s opinion that doing otherwise would only exacerbate our differences and open the door for mischiefmakers to exploit them.
Christian or Muslim leaders can both provide Nigeria with the good governance it so desperately needs, in his opinion.
Additionally, he pointed out that while some groups wanted the North to select the ticket in order to ensure a contest between two northerners, others argued that the APC should select its flag bearer from the South in the name of nationalism, justice, and fairness.
If we are going to be true to the spirit of the northern governors, we need to make sure that the vice presidential candidate is a Christian. This way, we can show our commitment to nationalism, justice, and fairness.”
“The northern APC has in its ranks capable Christians with a proven track record who can deliver just like anyone else from the other faith.
Apart from their ability to deliver on the ideals of the party, they can also win elections for the party. No single person wins elections for any political party; it is the collective effort of all members, and we are confident that the APC can do so,” he urged.
