While reacting to the ongoing tussle between the foremost political parties and their presidential candidates in choosing a running mate, the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, has openly reiterated its position on the issue of Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima, said the emphasis should be on competence and not religion.
Following the emergence of presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and that of the All Progressives Congress, APC, there have been insinuations of a possible Muslim-Muslim ticket. There are speculations that APC’s Bola Tinubu may pick a Northern Muslim as his running mate.
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However, Shettima, in an exclusive interview with a News Outlet openly opined that presidential candidates should consider the present situation of the country when picking their running mate.
According to the AYCF National President, Nigeria’s unity is currently threatened, hence the need for competence.
He said: “On the issue of Muslim-Muslim tickets, I believe in competence, so whichever way it comes. But preferably, under the circumstances we are in now, we will look inward on how to save the country from this present situation.
“The unity of the country is being threatened, and there are a lot of divisions; we need competent people to come to the fore. It’s only when you save the country that you begin to think of what to share.
“But when the country is already in a dilemma, you don’t think of what to share. For example, if your car develops a problem somewhere around Abuja-Kaduna road, you will not think of waiting for a Muslim or Christian mechanic; you will be looking for an alternative mechanic to solve your problem to avoid kidnappers or armed robbers.
“Under normal circumstances, one would have preferred that in the spirit of equity, peace, and progress of this country, let’s have our Christian brothers on board, but we are in a very abnormal situation at the moment now; for as long as Nigerians would agree, let’s move the country forward now before thinking of what to share, otherwise you will wake up tomorrow, and there will be no Nigeria.”