Ibikunle: De-emphasize Religion, Choose Leaders Who Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems 

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*Says Tinubu will reposition nation

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Chairman of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission ( NLRC), Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, has advised Nigerians to consider the myriads of problems confronting the country and choose leaders that can confront them, irrespective of religion or creed.

Ibikunle, who is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state said the problems facing the nation knew no religion, ethnicity or region.

Speaking at a forum of youth professionals  Tuesday, he declared that the much talked about Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC for the 2023 presidential election had become a distraction taking away the eyes of the Nigerian players from the ball.

Ibikunle said those who were stoking the debate against the ticket were enemies of Nigeria, adding that rather than engaging in debate about the capabilities of the two names on the ticket, they were weaponizing religion to, once again, deny poor Nigerians the opportunity of being served by a capable team of leaders

His words: “There is a lot of work to be done by the youth of this great nation. You need to go out there and let the ordinary people understand the true situation of things. Some people just want to tell us that religion is our main problem at this time whereas it is not.

“This is a ploy to take our eyes away from the ball. The real problems confronting us right now as a nation are hunger, poverty, insecurity and comatose economy. These problems don’t know religion; they don’t know regions.

“Have you not noticed that while we are dissipating energy over Muslim-Muslim ticket, things are getting worse? Some people are deliberately keeping us talking about a matter that is less important in the need to get us out of trouble as a nation.

“Instead of us engaging in robust discussions on the increasing wave of insecurity in the in the country and challenging the presidential candidates on their programs on security, how they intend to end insecurity, bring back our economy and foster unity and peace in the country , these enemies of progress are fanning embers of disunity through religion.

“Remember, it is while we were listening to those Babel about religion that terrorists were getting bold to say they would kidnap our elected leaders.

“So, Nigerians need to look at the quality of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as APC presidential candidate and Alhaji Kashim Shettima as his running mate, not their religion. 

“Can Tinubu replicate the unprecedented and unmatched success he recorded in Lagos State in Nigeria as whole? Will his global connections as a top flight international accountant be deployed to Nigeria’s economic benefit? These are the kind of questions we should be asking now.

“The All Progressives Congress has simply put up a pair that is capable of winning the presidential race and bring sustainable progress, unity and peace to our dear country. It is the best and done by the party in the best interest of Nigeria”.