The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says opposition parties have been thrown off balance by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s choice of running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka stated this in a Monday statement.
Recall that Tinubu, the APC presidential flagbearer, announced Senator for Borno Central, Senator Kashim Shettima as his vice-presidential candidate on Sunday.
Since the announcement, there have been mild controversy surrounding the ruling party’s respect for the nation’s religious diversity with its choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket.
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In his statement, Ajaka noted that Tinubu and Shettima are not religious fundamentalists.
He said that Tinubu’s bold move in choosing a fellow Muslim as running mate has thrown the opposition into confusion.
“The sterling qualities of our vice presidential candidate, in the person of Senator Kashim Shettima, has once again thrown the opposition parties off balance.
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“They would have preferred our presidential candidate to settle for less so as to make it easy for them to win the election but the choice of the trusted and trustworthy Shettima must have disorganised their evil plans, we understand in the APC.
“While we sympathise with the opposition parties, we appeal to Nigerians, who will eventually be the beneficiaries of good governance under Tinubu-Shettima presidency, to see beyond the sentiments of religion and tribe.
“Both Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima are not religious fundamentalists or ultra Muslims, their records in public offices are testimonies to rely on.
“As a two-term governor in Borno state, Shettima enjoyed the support of the Christian community throughout his tenure. In fact, the Borno chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) testified that ‘In the history of Borno state, there is no Governor that has been fair to the Christian Community as much as Governor Kashim Shettima’,” Ajaka’s statement read in part.
He noted that Shetttima sponsored many Christians on pilgrimage during his tenure as Borno governor.
“If Borno state has the largest votes in the north-east where Kashim Shettima has been governor for 8 years and now a senator and still politically relevant,” he said.
“If APC has enjoyed massive support from this state and the entire north-east and the emergence of Shettima as our vice presidential candidate will deny the candidate of the PDP the smooth ride in the zone, I think APC and our presidential candidate are politically correct because our main goal for now is to emerge victorious in the coming elections, not forgetting competence which Senator Kashim Shettima represents,” Ajaka further stated.