More reactions have continued to trail the All Progressive Congress (APC) decision to adopt a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the party’s Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
This is as Christians from various denominations on Friday marched through the streets of Abuja, with an emphatic directives to the Christian populace to vote out APC in 2023 general election
The protesters led by Moses Adams, drawn from the Christian community representing the 19 northern states, thronged the city in protests, to register their displeasure over what they regards as an “insult” on the Northern Christian Community.
The protest is adding more salt to the open wound tearing the party apart, as top members of the party continue to berate the party’s Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, over the choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Read also: 2023: Muslim-Muslim ticket is not discrimination against anyone – Lukman
This is as some of the party chieftains have resigned from the party in protest over Tinubu’s decision to pick former Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettimma, as his running mate.
Adams while addressing the group noted that the Christian Community in the north were “ insulted” by Tinubu’s decision to pick a Muslim as his running mate, under the guise that he could not get a competent Christian politician to run with.
“Our sensibilities have been insulted by the ambition of a select few that have elected to throw caution in the wind.
He noted that Nigeria, being a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state, have been guided by the two major religions of Islam and Christianity.
“These have defined our way of life since the country attained independence in 1960,” he said.
Adams reminded the APC that successive governments in the country had respected the multi-religious nature of the country, especially during elections, to create a balance in the leadership of the country, and wondered why the incoming APC administration will jettison the age long tradition.
“We are therefore alarmed with the decision of the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) to disregard the Christian community in the choice of its vice presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential elections. Without mincing words, this is unacceptable and a recipe for creating sharp divides between the Muslims and the Christians in the country,” the protest leader said.
The protesters who had planned to take their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, were however disappointed to note that the President was still in Dsura, Katsina state, where he spent the Sallah holidays,
But in a letter they addressed to the President, the protesters observed that “ since the return of democracy in 1999 in Nigeria, the tradition has been a Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim paring by all political parties. And this has to a large extent, ensured religious harmony in the country.
“However, the move by our party to adopt a Muslim-Muslim ticket is most insensitive and the height of discrimination against Christians in our country . This is on the heels that other political parties indeed reflected the religious balance in the composition of their presidential team.”
“Your Excellency Sir, we the Christians in Northern Nigeria are displeased and angered by this insensitivity. By their action, the APC sent a strong message that Christians are not relevant in the scheme of things in the country.
They therefore, appealed to the President to intervene in reversing this ignoble move by the party’s Presidential Candidate . We demand that you invite the Presidential Candidate of the party to quickly retrace his steps immediately.
“The APC has also displayed religious intolerance that would eventually bring about religious tension in the country if not reversed in the overarching objective of entrenching peace and tranquillity.
“As stakeholders in the APC, we know that there are credible Christians in the APC from northern Nigeria and other parts of the country who are dedicated and have outstanding credentials that could make the vice presidential slot.
“Mr. President Sir, we are tempted to mention that the move by the APC is intended to cause a crisis of unimaginable proportion along ethno-religious lines. And you must admit that this is not what Nigeria needs, in all fairness.
“This despicable display aggrieves the Christian community in Nigeria by the APC in presenting a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential elections.”
