•••SAYS THERE SHOUID BE NO REPEAT OF MKO ABIOLA-KINGIBE SUTUATION OF 1993.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has totally rejected the plan by the All Progressives Congress, APC or the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to foist on the nation, a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-christian ticket in the presidential election in 2023.
The Christian body in rejecting the proposal warned the leading political parties to bury the thought of Christian/Christian or Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in 2023.
The CAN’s National Secretary, Barrister Joseph Bade Daramola, said in a statement on Friday that all the 18 registered political parties for the 2023 presidency should consider balancing both religions in the choice of their running mates for the presidential candidates.
“We want to unequivocally state that it is a threat to the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria.
“We congratulate the Presidential Candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP):Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi respectively, including other parties that are participating in the forthcoming Presidential election.
“CAN urges that a balance of both religious practitioners be considered in the choice of running mates of the presidential candidates.
“We do not subscribe to Christian/Christian ticket or Muslim/Muslim ticket.” The statement reads.
According to the statement, politicians could talk politics but that the CAN, had stated their views long before now.
The group warned that any party that tries same religion ticket will fail adding that the 1993 episode shouldn’t repeat itself.
“This is not 1993. Even when we have joint Muslim/Christian ticket, the church still goes through hell. Only God knows the number of Christians that have been killed in the last seven years with no one apprehended or prosecuted.
“Imagine how bad it will be if we have two Muslims in power?
“The extant Nigerian Constitution promotes religious balance. So, if any political party wants to try Muslim/Muslim ticket, it’s at it’s own peril.” CAN warned.
Bade Daramola said CAN was only forewarning, but will make a categorical statement in the event their warning is not heeded.
“The Presidential runningmate for the APC presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu should be a Christian from the North, Atiku’s runningmate should be a Christian from the South while Obi should choose his own among the Muslims from the North.
“Anything contrary to the above means that the leadership of these political parties do not bother about the unity of this entity called Nigeria.
“Those who are planning Muslim/Muslim ticket should also find out what was the outcome of MKO Abiola and Kingibe ticket in 1993.
“If they try Muslim/Muslim ticket this time around, the outcome will be worse because our fault lines are very visible.” The group statement further added.
According to CAN, there was no party that doesn’t have great, good and patriotic Christians who can preside over the affairs of this nation not to talk of being the Vice President as some mischievous people are trying to say.
CAN said If merit and competence were used as yardsticks, that the body has many qualified Christians in all the 774 Local Government Areas of this country.
“In the ongoing dispensation, CAN leadership cried in vain to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to break the monopoly or dominance of the security architecture with people of same faith.
“We are all seeing the outcome now. It is obvious that the Nigeria of today is different from that of 1993.
“Our politicians should stop flouting the Constitution by respecting the North and South dichotomy and religious factor.
“To those arguing that people do not care about the religions of their leaders once they are competent and credible, we dare APC to pick its Presidential runningmate from the South and PDP pick its own from the North and see what follows.
“When the late sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo picked Chief Mrs Oyibo Odinamadu, a fellow Christian and Southerner, as his runningmate in 1979, we all know the consequences of his performance in the North.
“Our politicians should be doing what will unite us instead of what will further polarise the country.” Barrister Bade Daramola, stated in the statement.