As APC Unveils Shettima Today…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected today to unveil the former Governor of Borno state, Senator Kashim Shettima as the running mate to the  presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in spite of the controversy and backlash from Nigerians and the christian community against the Muslim-Muslim ticket put forward by the party. Adedayo Akinwale writes

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will today at Shehu Misa Yaradu’a Centre in Abuja present to the public Senator Kashim Shettima as the running mate to the Presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Though, the governing party has definitely gotten more than what it bargained for following the backlash from Nigerians and the Christian community as a result of the Muslim-Muslim ticket the party decided to fly in the 2023 elections.

Since party stakeholders, the Christian community and indeed concerned Nigerians got the wind of the plan by the APC to float a Muslim-Muslim ticket, they have expressed dissatisfaction against such notion, arguing that it would undermine the Christians and at the same time widen the country’s fault-lines.

Despite the stiff opposition against such an idea,  Tinubu called the bluff of the Christians when he announced Shettima as his running-mate ahead of the 2023 elections.

Tinubu’s justification of Muslim-Muslim ticket

The former Lagos State governor explained that the choice of Shettima as the Vice Presidential candidate was not based on religion or to please one community or the other, saying he made the choice because he believed Shettima could help him bring the  best governance to all Nigerians,  regardless of their religious affiliation or considerations of ethnicity or region

Justifying his decision, Tinubu said: “I am mindful of the energetic discourse concerning the possible religion of my running mate. Just and noble people have talked to me about this. Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to please the Christian community. Other have said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly, I cannot do both.

“Both sides of the debate have impressive reasons and passionate arguments supporting their position. Both arguments are right in their own way. But neither is right in the way that Nigeria needs at the moment. As president, I hope to govern this nation toward uncommon progress. This will require innovation. It will require steps never before taken. It will also require decisions that are politically difficult and rare.”

His explanation has however failed to assuage the anger of Nigerians, especially the Christian community. While the proponents of the Muslim-Muslim ticket have been fighting tooth and nail to defend the indefensible, those against it warned that there would be a dire consequences for such an act of insensitivity.

Arguments for and against Muslim-Muslim ticket

There have been a lot of arguments as regards  why Tinubu opted for a Muslim running-mate and at the same time, there have been a lot of arguments against why the idea was insentive at this time.

In his submission, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC,  Mr. Murtala Ajaka, said  the choice of Shettima as the party’s vice presidential candidate has thrown the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) off balance. He said PDP and others would have preferred Tinubu to settle for less so as to make it easy for them to win the  election.

On his part, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena said the decision of the PDP to jettison the zoning arrangement was more harmful to the unity of Nigeria when compared to the single faith ticket of the ruling APC.

He pointed out that none of those agitating against the Muslim-Muslim ticket on the basis of fairness have considered the African traditional worshippers. Nabena wondered how fair it is that they are agitating for fairness and equity to share power between Christians, while completely ignoring and alienating traditional worshippers.

Also reacting, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese,  Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, said If people feel unhappy with the kind of choices that have been made, they can make their choice from other contestants.

According to him: “This is what you call team selection  and everybody will choose depending on what they think will give them a fair chance. So people will take responsibility for the choices they have made. For me, it is not something to lose sleep over. If people feel unhappy with the kind of choices that have been made, that is why we are democrats, you can’t force it. We outsiders cannot force a choice of any candidate.

“It is now left for you to look at the choices that have been made. And there is no guarantee that all Christians will vote for Christians and all Muslims will vote for Muslims.”

Expectedly, the APC Christian leaders in the 19 Northern States described the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the party as insensitive, saying it would be difficult for them to sell the party candidates to their constituencies.

The Christian leaders in a communique  jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Prof. Doknan Sheni and Ishaya Bauka? argued that the situation of the country now cannot be compared to what it was in 1993 when the people settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

They insisted that the selection of a Muslim vice presidential candidate portrayed insensitivity to the Christians in the nation, adding that the fear of the Christians in the north and the nation in general is that the APC party will be viewed as an Islamic party.

They argued further that:  “More so, that we are apprehensive that the person picked might have had a hand in the Chibok girls Saga and other terror activities. Moslem – Moslem ticket would undermine the election chances of Christians candidates in APC in the various states in the North.

“Considering that the chairman of the party is a Moslem, deputy chairman north is a Moslem, the president of the senate is a Moslem, the speaker and deputy speaker are Moslems, and now both the presidential and Vice presidential candidates are Moslems and apart from this violating the constitution section 14 subsection 3, if this was to be reversed that all these were Christians, can any Moslem in the North be able to sell the APC presidential tickets to any Moslem ummah?.

In his reaction, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; called on  President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise his powers as the Commander-in-Chief and as the leader of the APC to revoke the nomination of  Shettima.

Lawal, an ally of Tinubu did little to spare him when he said It appears that the gods want to destroy  the APC and its Presidential Candidate and have chosen the instrumentality of the northern Muslim governors and their super ambitious too – Shettima for this purpose.

Lawal in a statement said categorically that Tinubu should be compelled  by whoever can do so to rescind this decision, while  warning that Muslim-Muslim ticket was  be dead on arrival.

He said: “I thought I will be able to avoid commenting on the disastrous error by my very good friend, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his choice of a running mate. I will  be the very last person to stand in the way of my very good friend Tinubu’s path to the presidency.

“There is gloom among the Christian community all over the country since Tinubu announced Kashim Shetima as his running mate. Are the generality of the moslem ummah happy with this? The answer is a resounding no. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should be compelled upon by whoever can do so to rescind this decision. President Mohammed Buhari should exercise his powers as the Commander-in-Chief and as the APC Leader to revoke this nomination of a VP by Tinubu.

Protest defection

The muslim-muslim ticked also irked some party members resulting in their leaving the party. One of the party chieftains in Rivers state, Tonye Princewill, has resigned his membership of the party saying he can’t argue for equity in his state and defend inequity in his country, hence his decision to resign as a member of APC.

According to him,  he cannot defend the decision of his party in fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket, especially at a time like this, against all protestations from well meaning Nigerians, across religious and political divides.

Princewill stressed that while it would not only set a very wrong precedent, it was totally insensitive, adding that even if the party wins, it would  prove bad for good governance.

His words: Under these dire circumstances, I find no justification to still remain, in good conscience, a member of a political party that subordinates electoral victory, over the safety of lives and the peace of mind of its citizens.  The men and women of our party here in Rivers are the most loyal and faithful supporters I have met. They know right and they know wrong. And they know me. I enjoyed working with them and I’m so sad to leave. But an APC party that totally disregards the basics of the same equity we preach, is alien to me.”

Tinubu’s move to pacify christian leaders

The APC standard bearer last Sunday met with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Charistian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye following the controversy that trailer the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party.

THISDAY had reported that Tinubu had set up a team of eminent persons with whom he is scheduled to meet the Christian leaders within the party and faith-based organisations like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Catholic, to appeal to them and secure their buy-in.

A source in the Tinubu Campaign team, who pleaded anonymity, had informed THISDAY that the plan, which is going to be a holistic approach, was to make the Christian community see reasons behind the Muslim-Muslim ticket adding that Tinubu decided to lead a team to appeal to the Christian community.

It was also gathered that a similar meeting would be scheduled with the leadership of CAN in the coming days.