The Coalition of North East and North Central APC Stakeholders has insisted that the Muslim Muslim ticket by their party is insensitive.
According to the groups, the nominations of Kasihim Shettima as Vice Presidential Candidate and Simon Lalong as DG of the APC presidential campaign council is laughable.
Speaking at a join press conference addressed by the convener, Dauda Yakubu, the leadership of the Coalition of North East and North Central APC Stakeholders said it remains a known fact that the Muslim-Muslim Ticket of the party has indeed caused untold disaffection in the ranks of the party, especially in the North East and the North Central states in the country.
“The choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as the Vice Presidential Candidate of the APC has indeed questioned the position of our great party on mutual respect for the ethnic and religious plurality of the country.
“This is on the heels that the party elected to disregard the highly qualified and loyal party members from the North East and North Central region of Christian origin as Vice Presidential candidates of the party.
“This action was insensitive and a gross display of insensitivity and strategy by the party’s leadership. We must state that since the return of democracy in 1999, it has been the trend for ethnic and religious balancing of political positions to give all a sense of belonging in the Nigerian project.
“This fact has been reflected in all elections since then, with all political parties adhering to the principle of balanced presidential tickets during elections. Consequently, we wondered what has changed that the APC elected to go for a Muslim-Muslim Ticket, not minding the consequences of such actions on the electoral chances of the party, as well as the injury such a move would have on the sensibilities of Christians across the country.
“It is our considered opinion that the appointment of Simon Lalong as the DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council is a feeble attempt at assuaging the Christian stakeholders in the party that has contributed immensely to the development of the party,” the group said adding that the leadership of the APC must come to terms with the realization that Nigeria is a religiously sensitive country.
“As such, the reactions that have come about due to its Muslim-Muslim Ticket have been enormous. This has also affected the public rating of the APC as a party of progressives; instead, it has projected the APC as a party of religious fanatics bent on Islamizing the country.
“It is a statement that should the APC go ahead with its Muslim-Muslim Ticket; the party would experience outright rejection at the polls. And therefore, the need for the party to resolve the impasse that has come about as a result of the Muslim-Muslim Ticket.
“The party’s leadership must also realize that appointing Simon Lalong, a Christian from the North Central, as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council is not enough to assuage the Muslim-Muslim Ticket’s ill feelings generated across the country so far. It is viewed as an insult to the sensibilities of Christians across the country.
“The leadership of the Coalition of North East and North Central APC Stakeholders wishes to use this medium to call on the leadership of the APC to initiate steps and measures toward replacing its Vice Presidential Candidate with a notable party member of Christian faith.
“The leadership of the APC must take advantage of INEC’s final list of presidential candidates, which is to be published on September 20, to quickly address the wrong and hand the party’s Vice Presidential ticket to a Christian to assuage the feelings of those still aggrieved.
“The leadership of the APC must realize that there is a lot at stake for the party should it go ahead with the Muslim-Muslim Ticket. The party must not be perceived as disregarding and disrespecting the Christian community in Nigeria.
“The implication of such is massive electoral losses. The party’s leadership must also realize that other political parties adopted the Muslim-Christian tickets, and the APC must not be an exemption.
“The Muslim-Muslim Ticket can only lead to the path of destruction for the party. As concerned stakeholders, we are using this medium to call on the party’s leadership to effect a change in the composition of the party’s presidential Ticket, ” the group added.