The senator representing Ekiti Central in the National Assembly, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged critics of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Muslim/Muslim ticket to shun sentiments and vote for the candidate that can fix the economy and other challenges bedevilling the country.
Senator Bamidele, in an interview with newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, also said the country needs a president who is not beclouded by religious sentiments.
The lawmaker said the country’s myriad of challenges require someone with scientific knowledge and understanding of the problems and the required solutions to address them.
“My own understanding of what Nigeria needs right now is a president who has the scientific understanding of what is to be done, the scientific understanding of what is wrong, the antecedent of having been able to fix broken communities, broken states, broken situations and who has a scientific understanding of the workings of the economy, because a lot of the problems that we have are traceable to the economy.
“As much as possible, we also need somebody who will have the courage to take decisions without minding whose ox is gored, and without setting out to protect any particular religion or tribe or group of people.
“Today, do Nigerians have a reason to dance? I will say no and yes, because of a lot of infrastructural development. But how do you celebrate accomplishment in terms of infrastructural development when there is so much insecurity in the land?” he queried.
Shagari, Lawal, Dogara, 32 others move to adopt consensus candidate
Meanwhile, the APC Northern Christian leaders, led by a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, have resolved to work with their Muslim counterparts in the North to adopt a presidential candidate in a bid to defeat the APC.
This followed the adoption of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim from the South West as the party’s presidential candidate and Kashim Shettima, also a Muslim, from the North East as it’s vice presidential candidate.
The resolution was contained in a communique jointly signed by a former deputy governor of Sokoto State and minister of Water Resources during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Hon. Mukhari Shagari and Hon. Yakubu Dogara, which was made available to reporters in Bauchi, by Dogara’s media aide, Turaki Hassan.
The communique was the outcome of their consultative meeting and dialogue between Northern APC Christian leaders and Northern Muslim political leaders held at the weekend in Abuja.
According to the communique, the dialogue and consultative meeting had in attendance 35 prominent Nigerians cutting across the Muslim and Christian faiths including former governors and senators.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
