CAN Warns against Muslim/Muslim Ticket in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned that it would reject two Muslims running on a joint presidential ticket in 2023, as it could lead to the country’s collapse.
CAN’s position was a reaction to a statement by the director-general of the Tinubu Support Group, Abdulmumini Jibrin Kofa, who said on Monday that Tinubu, a Muslim, can pick another Muslim as his running mate in 2023, adding that Nigerians would choose competence over ethnic and religious considerations. (Read Abdulmumuni’s statement here)
Another All Progressive Congress’ chieftain, Bisi Akande, also justified the Muslim/Muslim ticked by saying Tinubu would have been President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015, and both are Muslims. He said the South-West does not consider religion during elections.
But CAN’s spokesman, Rev. Bayo Oladeji, said having a Muslim/Muslim ticket would set the country on fire, arguing that CAN would not support two Christians running on a joint ticket in 2023.
He said the June 12, 1993 election wherein MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party ran alongside Babagana Kingibe on a joint Muslim ticket, could never be replicated in 2023.
Oladeji stated, “Politicians can talk politics but we have stated our view. Any party that tries Muslim/Muslim ticket or Christian/Christian ticket will fail. This is not 1993. Even when we have joint Muslim/Christians, the church still goes through hell. Only God knows the number of Christians that have been killed.
“Imagine how bad it will be if we have two Muslims in power? The constitution promotes religious balance. So, if they want to try Muslim/Muslim ticket, let them try it. But we will not respond to faceless people. Let any political party or the government try it, then they will know that Christians are not second hand citizens of Nigeria.
“This country belongs to all of us. If they try it, they will see it. Those who are planning Muslim/Muslim ticket should also find out what was the outcome of MKO Abiola and Kingibe ticket. If they try Muslim/Muslim ticket this time around, the outcome will be worse.”
However, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs says the most important thing should be competence and that is what Muslims are praying for.
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