PRESIDENCY: APC inches toward Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket despite outrage

Except for a last-minute change, the All Progressives Congress (APC) may field a Muslim-Muslim 2023 presidential ticket.

Former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu emerged as the flagbearer last Wednesday at the primary in Abuja.

Though the APC leader is a Muslim from the South-West, there are pressures from the North for the emergence of a Muslim as his running mate.

Top party chieftains including Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu are speaking in favour of the same religion ticket.

“I know the church I go to. There is nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, just as there is nothing wrong with a Christian-Christian ticket.

“Tinubu is a minority Muslim from the south. If you pick a Christian from the north, it will be a minority Christian, and you cannot play two minorities”, he said.

The position of Kalu and others is despite the strong warning by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the apex Christianity body.

Likewise, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the polarised nature of Nigeria does not permit what the APC is scheming to achieve.

“Even in the despotic military era, most juntas ensured a balance of the religious architecture in their regimes”, said the scribe, Fr. Zacharia Nyantiso Samjumi.

Vocal public commentators like Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa have also declared their opposition.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) asked if the promoters were trying to prove the superiority of faith, enforce international conspiracy or start a new form of Jihad.

Newsmen was informed that most of the Northern Muslims being considered for the position are governors.

It was earlier gathered that the Christians in the APC were not favorably disposed to Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai as vice-presidential candidate.

“If the postion will go to a Muslim, it would be an indivdual majority of Christians are comfortable with”, a source said.

Critics have warned that the APC may jeopardize its electoral chances at the general elections with a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

President Muhammadu Buhari and National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu are Muslims from the North.

The leading opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to select a Christian from the South as running mate to standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar.