Muslim-Muslim ticket: Tinubu’s decision ‘not good for a secular state like Nigeria’ – Clark, blames PDP for abandoning zoning

Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has berated the decision by Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 General Elections, saying such move ‘is not inclusive, and not good for a secular state like Nigeria.’

According to Chief Clark, while Tinubu and APC’s decision ‘will further worsen the situation in the country, since he should know that patriotism is a quality of a good leader,’ the Ijaw leader further laid the blame at the doorstep of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’because of its refusal to zone its presidency to the south.’

It would be recalled that the APC’s Presidential candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Asiwaju Tinubu had, Sunday, announced his decision to pick former Borno State Governor, Kashim Ibrahim Shettima.

 Shettima, a Muslim from the North East region of the country, is a two-term governor of the state and presently the senator representing Borno Central senatorial zone in the National Assembly; a position he has held since 2019.

Addressing journalists in Katsina State on Sunday, Tinubu confirmed that he has settled for Senator Shettima as his running mate.

The selection of Shettima has now put to bed the hopes of some political and religious advocates to see the APC standard bearer pick a Christian for the position.

The announcement has also irked some stakeholders of the party, as well as others in the North, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which pulled its support for the Tinubu candidacy.

Reacting to Tinubu’s decision, Clark stated that there is a sharp division in the country, even on religious lines and his decision to take a fellow Muslim as his running-mate will further worsen the situation in the country.

“I feel threatened for our beloved country because of the way things are going. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation, with Christianity and Islam as the major religions, even though Nigeria is a secular state.

“In compliance with Constitutional provisions of inclusiveness, the number one and number two positions in the country, viz, President and Vice President, have always been occupied by practitioners of the two major religions, to ensure balancing.

“It will be recalled that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu, could not be chosen in 2015 as Vice President to Muhammadu Buhari, because he is a Muslim and Muhammadu Buhari is a Muslim. Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu, in his own words, confirmed this in his statement in Abeokuta, Ogun State. What has changed? One quality of a good leader is consistency. A good leader must act in the same way at all times, to all people. He must not display double standard.

“Today, what has the Presidential candidate of the APC, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, done? He has picked a person of his religion, a Muslim, as his running-mate. Such choice is not inclusive, it is not good for a secular state like Nigeria.

“There is presently a sharp division in the country, even on religious lines, and all patriots are seeking ways to salvage the situation. Therefore, Alhaji Tinubu’s decision to take a fellow Muslim as his running-mate, will further worsen the situation in the country. He should know that patriotism is a quality of a good leader.

“On the reasons adduced by Tinubu on why he chose Kashim Shettima as running mate, is the APC presidential flag bearer telling Nigerians that there are no Christians in the APC from the north who are ‘competent, capable and reliable?’

“It is illusion to think that except one is from the north, you may not win election. So, the idea that unless you come from the north or you are a Muslim, or a Muslim supports you if you are not a Muslim, you cannot win an election, should immediately be jettisoned by proponents of such an idea. The north needs the south to be in power, same way the south needs the north to be in power. No part can do it alone.

“About 46% or more of Nigerians are Christians. Yet a group of persons want to sideline and exclude them from the affairs of the country. This is not possible.

“The question is, is Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu under pressure from these his core supporters and backers, to pick a Muslim as his running-mate, and did he cave in to the pressure because “it is his turn to be President of Nigeria”, despite complaints and protestations?

“The PDP is the cause of these things because of its refusal to zone its presidency to the south.

“These are dangerous signals. Alhaji Ahmed Tinubu cannot compare 2022/2023 with 1993. In 1993, majority of Nigerians, on their own volition, supported the Muslim/Muslim ticket of M.K.O. Abiola and Babagana Kingibe of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), as President and Vice President, 29 years ago.

“It was not shoved on them; it was not forced on them. Also, during that period, Nigeria was not so divided on ethnic and religious divides. If people are complaining, a good leader should listen. Unfortunately, we have leaders who not only ignore the concerns of the people with impunity, but also make crass statements.

“The PDP is the cause of these things because of its refusal to zone its presidency to the south,” Chief Clark said.