Some elders of the North East described the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Muslim Muslim presidential ticket divisive and inimical to national unity.
The North East elders under the aegis of the Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development made the comment in a statement by its National Coordinator, Engr. Zana Goni, on Saturday.
The group said that it was indeed madness and evil for a anybody to put forth a Muslim/Muslim ticket at this point in the country.
He wondered why the Presidential Candidate of the APC would pick a Muslim/Muslim Candidate in a secular state like Nigeria.
The Group called on Nigerians to resist the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the APC which it described as an evil. selfish agenda.
The elders called on Muslims to look beyond what it described as the lies of the APC saying the hunger in the land and the threat of terrorism are not respecters of religion.
The North East elders, frowned at the attacks being carried out on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the South East, describing it as an evil attempt by sponsored sponsored terrorists outside the zone with the aim to depleting the South East voting strength.
They insisted that Nigerians “must vote credible leaders with capacity and programme for our dear country,”
“As the 2023 general elections draws near, we the Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development have noted with concerns some actions and statements by some political parties and actors in our democratic process.
“The latest being the impunity orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in settling for a same faith ticket in a multi-religious,multi-ethnic and above all, multi-cultural country like Nigeria and the party’s defence of the absurd action in the face of widespread opposition to the abnormalities.
“As leaders who have not only monitored but also actively contributed to political developments in Nigeria for decades, we wish to categorically denounce the APC’s action which we view as inimical to the progress and growth of Nigeria.
“Without mincing words, we describe the party’s decision in fielding Muslim Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election as the highest level of madness, insensitivity, and an evil agenda against our dear country which we have laboured for years to build.
“This decision which threatens the unity of the country does not have our blessings and must be resisted by all Nigerians of good conscience. Anything contrary will
threaten the fragile unity and peace of Nigeria.
“We wonder why a sane man and sane political party will contemplate and even go ahead to pick a Muslim as running mate to a Muslim candidate in a presidential election in secular country as Nigeria at this modern age.”
“To make the matter worse, they picked Alhajji Kashim Shetima, a man whose alleged link with terrorism is still a subject of debate in public domain.
“This is a costly mistake that must be resisted at poll by all Nigerians, irrespective of religion,tribe or ethnic backgrounds in the interest of peace”, the group said:” If this madness is allowed to see the light of the day, the unity and peace of Nigeria will be threatened forever.
“How can someone try this in Nigeria? As it stands together Christians and Muslims have started supporting candidates based on religious lines, in mosques and churches across the country. This is not what we need now.
“The peace in Nigeria is too fragile to contemplate this kind of madness as exhibited by the ruling APC. The party has actually made more Nigerians to believe that they have an Islamization agenda as widely speculated.” The statement read in part