By John Ugo, Awka
The apex Igbo socio-cultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has condemned the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
The APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a South West Muslim had picked a former Governor of Borno State, Kassim Shettima, A Northern Muslim as his running mate to the chagrin of Christians and liberal Muslims in the country.
Ohanaeze described the ticket as a threat to the tenets of democracy and national unity.
The National Vice President of the body, Ichie Damian Okeke-Ogene, stated the Organisation’s position in a statement in Awka, Anambra State on Thursday.
Okeke-Ogene said that it would be disastrous to allow domination of political offices by one religion in a multi ethnic, multi religious society like Nigeria.
He said that such an arrangement would breed mistrust and threaten years of mutual tolerance, co-existence developed over the year in the country.
According to him, the Muslim/Muslim ticket is not only ill timed but also disregards the diversity in the country.
The Ohanaeze Vice President said that the APC Candidate has not shown the expect interest in the unity of the country with his choice of running mate.
He said that the desperation of power by Tinubu has reversed the efforts and sacrifices made by former President Goodluck Jonathan to consolidate on corporate existence of Nigeria when he stated that his political aspiration was not worth shedding the blood of any Nigerian.
According to him, it is satanic for anybody to introduce Muslim/Muslim ticket with the worsening insecurity across the country and widening ethnic divide and agitations.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country and I make it clear that any attempt by one religion to dominate the political structure could only widen the gap of mistrust and destroy the delicate sense of tolerance cultivated over the years.” He said
Okeke-Ogene commended the leadership of Pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo and the convener Pan Niger Delta Forum and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark for standing on the side of the truth in critical national issues.