The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shelve the idea of fielding a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 election.
The President of YOWICAN, Ambassador Belusochukwu Enwere, Monday in Abuja at a news conference, said the call for a Muslim-Muslim ticket by certain individuals was callous and deceptive.
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The organisation vowed to mobilise voters against any political party that fielded candidates of the same religion, even if it Christian-Christian ticket.
He said the same-religion presidential ticket was a violation of the principle of power balancing on ethno-religious basis, which has been respected since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
He urged Nigerians to reject same-religion presidential tickets in the spirit of ethno-religious balancing and to foster integration and national unity amongst all tribes and religions.
Meanwhile, the supporters of APC presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, have said that the ability to deliver good governance and manage the economy efficiently should guide the choice of selecting a running mate not ethnic or religious consideration.
The supporters of the former Lagos governor, under the aegis of Disciples of Jagaban, said those giving consideration to religion or ethnicity in choosing Tinubu’s running mate are enemies of APC.
“Primordial sentiments will never win election. Only a popular candidate with requisite pedigree wins election.
“APC must not mind wailers and critics being sponsored by the opposition whose ultimate goal is to see APC lose the election by choosing a running mate that cannot deliver votes for the party. Those wailers are simply propagating falsehood to favour their distorted political agenda.
“Let the propagandists realise they cannot manipulate the masses with sheer sentiments again. The past contributions to the security, economic and human development of Nigerians should form the criteria to choose our next vice president,” said a statement by the group’s National Coordinator, Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje.
Also, the APC Stakeholders’ Forum, in a statement by its Chairman, Abdullahi Aliyu Katsina, said a credible and popular person, irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation, should be considered for running mate.
