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Religion, they say, is politics. Muslims do it in the mosque and Christians do it in the church. So, anyone telling you religion doesn’t matter in politics is selling a lie. Religion matters and we cannot downgrade its relevance and importance. That’s why the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket is frightening and offensive to people of other faiths, particularly Christians. I also think many Muslims will be frightened at the possibility of a Christian- Christian ticket by either of PDP or APC.
I was almost going to give Bola Tinubu the general election until he showed he could also be dumb, if not dumber than we thought with that mistake of a Muslim-Muslim ticket which he hope will win him voters. It’s possible he considered Muslim voters as people without conscience or any modicum of patriotic instinct. But that was a dumb political move. Of course, a Muslim-Muslim ticket has the potential of locking up sizeable numbers of votes from the North. But at what cost? Why further divide an already divided country?
The rancour that followed the decision showed he didn’t consult widely, or he didn’t get wise counsel. If he consulted, he would have realised that the move will be very unpopular. Shettima should have, in the interest of the nation, declined the offer.
Anyone who lived in Nigeria from 2015 to now will tell you that the current leadership is the most dangerous thing that has happened to Nigeria’s unity. The leadership style did more harm than good. They successfully polarised the country, splitting the country down the middle, dividing it between Christians and Muslims. Insecurity and religion have damaged the country and ruined the mental health of citizens.
Most Nigerians are now paranoid. The people don’t trust the government. They have lost faith in the federation, and some even want out. What a few remaining patriots want now is for him to peacefully retire and give Nigeria a chance to recover from the damage his government has caused. Thankfully, even him is eager to see his regime come to an end. Just like he is eager we just cannot wait to see him fade away.
He who the gods want to kill, they first visit with madness. BAT won the APC primary dramatically, trouncing both the cabals and the party who didn’t want him but frittered all the goodwill away by his wrong decision. In making that decision he demonstrated he is insensitive and cared less about the sentiments of his Christian supporters.
When you are a snob and think you are better than everybody else, you do whatever you want. This was exactly what BAT did when he snubbed all wise counsel and proceeded with the choice of a Muslim as a running mate. When he spoke about this, he sounded confident and prided himself as a man that is never indecisive when it comes to making hard decisions.
Unfortunately, this time he made a decision that has earned him condemnation. No fair-minded person will want to have anything to do with the APC ticket, not because former Gov. Shettima is a bad person, far from it, but because many Christians who lived through the past seven years wherein the President is a Muslim; the Chief Justice of Nigeria, a Muslim; the House Speaker is a Muslim, the Senate President is a Muslim, the National Security Adviser -a Muslim, the Chief of Army -a Muslim, Chief of Air Staff – a Muslim , the Chief of the Secret Police. a Muslim, the Inspector General of Police – a Muslim; the National Chairman of APC – a Muslim, the Deputy National Chairman – a Muslim cannot be convinced that the presidential candidate and his deputy will be all Muslims without darker motives being imputed. This is serious imbalance as this country that is neither a Muslim nor a Christian country.
The BAT campaign team is obviously feeling the heat against his Muslim- Muslim ticket hence they took the extra ordinary plot of renting fake bishops to grace the unveiling of his running mate. The video of the impostors, dressed in cassocks and groomed to pose as Christian bishops went viral. The fake bishops without churches were procured from different corners of the streets including motor parks. They were recruited to give Christian voters the false impression that the Mujahedeen’s plot with a Muslim -Muslim ticket means well for Nigeria. If BAT thinks this is going to win him voters or that renting some fake Christian bishops will calm down angry voters, it shows he is dumber than we thought.
They couldn’t even keep their words to reward the fake bishops with N100,000 as agreed for which is a breach of contract. There should be honour among thieves. Deceit and telling lies are some of the reasons why people are angry with politicians and particularly with the APC led government. It’s the reason why the party was roundly rejected in the recent Osun state governorship election.
With inflation rating hitting 18.6%; the dollar exchanging at N627; petrol selling at N179 per litre; Kerosene selling at N850; diesel selling N900 and interest rate at 14% and ASUU strike extending beyond 165 days and country, the party even at the Federal level has run out of lies and spins. They have nothing more to tell Nigerians. The country is in ruins and needs a team with capacity to unite the people and build back a Nigeria where our people, no matter the tribe and tongue, will live and work in a safe environment that guarantees the highest level of economic and social empowerment.
For some reasons, I am not too worried about APC’s dumb move, though very concerned and share the feelings of others who feel disappointed. Nevertheless, I am consoled by the beauty of the pluralistic democracy that we practise which gives people the right of participation and guarantees freedom of choice and expression.
I have heard both fair-minded Christians and Muslims alike express sad and mixed feelings about the APC’s Muslim – Muslim ticket. I suppose the interest was generated because APC is the ruling party and the fear is that it could win using the power of incumbency. I will advise those very angry about the issue to calm down because we have a better choice before us. There is the Atiku-Ifeanyi Okowa balanced ticket which has prioritised fostering the spirit of cooperation and consensus in a nation of diverse ethnic groups, cultures and religions like ours. The Atiku/ Ifeanyi Okowa ticket promises unity, peace and security, and is committed to restructuring.
As a reformist, I am not pitching for any religion or tribe neither am I pitching for any saint in politics because there are none. If I am looking for saints, I know my way to the cathedral of Saints. Instead, I am rather pitching for that leader with clear understanding of the basic issues faced by ordinary Nigerians; a leader with the capacity to galvanise all the human and capital resources that we have and deploy them into the service of the people. I am pitching for the leader that will be more accountable and who will nurture good institutionalised democratic governance.
I am pitching for a leader who will be truly in charge, not for a leader who will negotiate the sovereignty and security of Nigeria with bandits, or one who will prefer a ride at the drop of a heart instead of lead the charge as a true Commander-in-Chief fight. The time we are in requires courageous leadership. Sometimes in the past, Atiku has shown courage and leadership when it mattered most. A lot of us don’t realise the price he had to pay for standing against OBJ’s third term agenda. If 2023 is strictly about ethnicity or religion, perhaps I will be pitching differently. The peace, security and unity of Nigeria are paramount to me.
