From Romanus Ugwu, Okwe Obi, Abuja, Noah Ebije, Kaduna, Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin and Adewale Sanyaolu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed official unveiling of Senator Kashim Shetima as running mate to its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu for what it termed logistic reasons.

The former Bono governor who was formally announced by Tinubu as vice presidential candidate on July 10 in Daura, Katsina, was earlier scheduled to be presented to party members at the APC national Secretariat, yesterday.

But Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, told Daily Sun that the ceremony was put off till Wednesday next week due to the involvement of most members of the party’s leadership in tomorrow’s Osun State governorship election.

He explained that the event was not an unveiling but more of interactive meeting between the running mate and party’s national leadership to formally interact.

“I don’t know why people keep tagging it as unveiling. The event was meant to be an avenue for our party’s vice presidential candidate to meet with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and other national leadership of our party. The interaction is important because he has to come and thank the party for giving him the ticket.

“As for postponement, the notice of invitation for the event went out rather too late on Wednesday. We also noticed that many of our officials are involved in the preparation for the Osun State governorship election. Again, Shetima equally has his personal commitment too. Those are the reasons that we had to postpone the event. However, it will now hold on Wednesday next week,” he said.

Meanwhile, firework over the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket has continued with the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) knocking the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The umbrella Christian body had kicked as against one faith ticket.

However, Kaduna State Secretary of SCSN, AbdurRahman Hassan, in a chat with Daily Sun said recent comments by CAN was unhealthy and provocative.

“The Council is observing all the happenings regarding the Muslim-Muslim ticket of APC, most especially the unhealthy and provocative comments by CAN on the issue.

“We appreciate the right of each party to chose its flag bearer. This is democracy, you don’t expect the majority Muslim north to be neglected in the political equation of this country.

“We thought CAN would toe the line of Orji Uzo Kalu who reasoned with democratic finesse about the Muslim-Muslim ticket, instead of joining the bandwagon of religious fanaticism.

“Regarding some Muslim clerics who go against Muslim-Muslim ticket, they are entitled to their opinion, which can’t go down well with majority Muslim north.

“Sometimes, people forget history. In 1979, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe nominated Prof. Ishaya Audu(a Christian)as his running mate. No Muslim or Muslim group in Nigeria decried any foul play.

“Why the shouts now because of what the APC did? Let’s concentrate on choosing competent and trustworthy leaders instead of trivialising the issues at stake. Whoever decries a particular combination of candidates can simply go for another,” Hassan said.

•Tinubu right – Oshiomole

Reacting, former chairman of the ruling party, Mr. Adams Oshiomole, described the decision of Tinubu to select Shettima as a right decision.

He said the decision on who is the party’s running mate is not a source of worry for Nigerians who neither have access to newspaper, television or radio but rather more concerned about who can do the job, put an end to the endless distruptions in the academic calendar and create jobs that would pay decent wages. He said the country needs a leader who would bring back the comatose textile industry and creating millions of jobs.

‘‘We need a leader that would move the economy away from just talking about growth to that which is job-led growth and having a robust social policy to ensure that the fruit of growth is distributed in a way that will deal with poverty decisively.’’

The former APC chairman lamented that Nigeria derives pleasure in comparing itself with countries that are doing well.

He gave example of Rwanda that went through serious civil war where millions of people were killed, saying today in Rwanda, you dare not describe yourself as someone from a particular ethnic group.

On the contrary, he said Nigerians visit several countries in the realm of Rwanda who have attained development but return toNigeria and begin to talk about issues around religion and tribe.

He argued that Tinubu is a courageous leader who has taken the bold decision in his choice of running mate, adding that by the grace of God, when elected into power, he would have the bold courage to take decisions that are necessary to reposition Nigeria, saying as a country we must think out of the box.

The former Edo State governor said he was satisfied with Tinubu and his choice of Shettima, especially his promise that it would not be business as usual in government if elected president.

‘‘He is not a stranger to government. He has made his mark in both private and public sector, more especially as a former governor of Borno State under very difficult circumstances. For me, this is a balanced ticket of competence and antecedent.”

•We must convince Nigerians- Salihu

APC National Vice Chairman (North West), Salihu Moh Lukman, has admitted that the party would have to go extra mile to convince the electorate that Muslim-Muslim ticket is not to discriminate against anybody.

Reacting to the controversy trailing the choice of Shettima as running mate, he said the leadership of the party considered all factors before arriving at the decision and assured that Tinubu would protect the interest of all.

“Politics is about contest and managing interests. Certainly, the party leadership will have to consider all the factors before arriving at picking the running mate. In the end, we have to convince Nigerians that Muslim-Muslim ticket or however you look at it, does not mean discrimination against anybody. The party and the candidate will have to work to protect their interests,” he promised.

•Coalition wants younger candidate 

The Coalition of All Progressives Congress Support Groups has called for replacement of Senator Shettima with a younger candidate, preferably, Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda, a Christian.

The coalion in a statement by Igwe Ude-Umanta, Solomon Adodo, and 26 others argued that sidelining of youths from getting the ticket was an attempt to prevent them from making inroads when most political leaders became ministers and governors in their at thirties and forties.

•Prove your worth, activist tells CAN, PFN

An Edo-based human rights activist, Pastor Moses Onodua, has thrown a challenge to CAN and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to prove that they were against the Muslim-Muslim ticket by voting against the party and its presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential election.

He said APC has made its choice of who flies its ticket and it behoves on the Christian bodies to decide whether they were going to mobilise their followers to vote for the party or not.

He agreed that the APC did not put the interest of other religious groups into consideration in its quest of getting its presidential running mate knowing that Nigeria is a secular country.