Muslim-Muslim Ticket as a booby trap for Tinubu

The emergence of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate for the 2023 general election has thrown up a delicate balance that could make or mar his life-time ambition.

With the agreement by Northern governors to throw their weight behind a Southerner, eyes were fixed on Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi as candidates that would not only receive the endorsement of the Christian community but give APC victory.
However, with Tinubu, a southern Muslim, as winner, many in the north believe that it will take only a northern Muslim as running mate to give the party victory.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State however blames the media for the hype on Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The governor who has been mentioned as a possible running-mate to Tinubu said that the media should be on the lookout for competence, capacity, capability and delivery.

According to him “I don’t think we should be looking at religion. We want to develop this country. When I get into a plane, I don’t ask the religion of the pilot. When I go to the hospital, I don’t ask for the doctor’s religion, I just want to get well. I just want to get to my destination when in an aircraft.

“The way the media and many irresponsible people try to inject religion into politics and governance is sad and pathetic, and will not take us anywhere.

“Nigeria is at the crossroads. We face very serious dangers in security and economic meltdown. Global issues are affecting us and all people are concerned with as far as who will be President or Vice President is concerned is religion. It’s so sad.

The Plateau State Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr.Yakubu Dati, however disagrees with the Kaduna State Governor, saying that in ”a secular and multicultural” country like Nigeria, it is given that broad considerations should be made to accommodate all interest groups in leadership for equity and fairness not only to be done, but be seen to have been done.

According to Dati, “It was this understanding that made the northern APC governors to push for a southern presidential candidate since by 2023, a northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari, would have done eight straight years in Aso Villa “

“Since Tinubu is a Muslim from the Southern part of the country, it is expected that for the APC to have a balanced ticket which it would take to the general elections to convince Nigerians to vote for it, that it is only right for the party to balance the presidential ticket with a Christian from the northern part of Nigeria.”

“This seems to be the party’s best bet to winning the 2023 elections as any other consideration would spell danger for the party at the polls as already a section of the country are apprehensive about the possibility of the APC going into the election with Muslim-Muslim ticket

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has also warned that it would not accept Christian/Christian or Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in 2023 stressing that it is a threat to the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria.

CAN, in a statement signed by its national secretary, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola, advised that a balance of both religious practitioners be considered in the choice of running mates of the presidential candidates and said ‘any party that tries same religion ticket will fail. This is not 1993.

Some however see the Muslim-Muslim as a booby trap for Tinubu to fail and allow power retained in the north.

Leader of Young Professionals of Nigeria, Pastor John Desmond said Nigerians are highly religious and political minded people.

He said “The Muslim-Muslim ticket issue is dead on arrival and those speculating it are out to cast aspersion on the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Asiwaju having been a bridge builder knows the implication of Muslim-Muslim ticket. People blackmailing the APC are enemies of Nigeria and their political calculation wouldn’t work.”

Those for Muslim-Muslim ticket say the possible Christians in the north, including the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara may not be accepted as the political leader of a religious sensitive region.

However, Christians are keen to ensure that there is a balance in the ticket especially with the fears that has enveloped the country following the murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram and ISWAP.

The recent dastardly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo has further fueled the fears of the church and the demand for religious balancing.

As the APC decides on how to maneuver out of this delicate issue, the opposition PDP is waiting to pounce on it and use it as a campaign weapon.

For APC that kept to its promise to shift power to the south, the religious issue is indeed, a tricky one .