The Presidential flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has reiterated that he has absolute respect and regard for both the Christian and Muslim faiths in the country notwithstanding his choice of running mate.
Tinubu, whilst announcing Sen. Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, two-term Governor of Borno State as his running mate on Sunday, asserted that by his selection, he is not oblivious of the religious and ethnic sensitivities of the country, but he however made the choice in the overriding interest of the country with a view of uniting it beyond primitive sentiments.
‘I am mindful of the energetic discourse concerning the possible religion of my running mate. Just and noble people have talked to me about this. Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to please the christian community. Others said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly, I cannot do both’.
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He further added that; ‘Both sides of the debate have impressive reason and passionate arguments supporting their position. Both arguments are right in their own way. But neither is right in the way that Nigeria needs at the moment. As President, I hope to govern this country towards uncommon progress. This will require innovation. It will require steps never taken. It will also require decisions that are politically difficult and rare’.
‘May I say this to all of you, especially those disappointed in my selection based on religious considerations. I will not and cannot ignore the religious concerns and ethnic sensitivities of our people. Taking them into due consideration is an important part of good and able governance’, Tinubu emphasised.
The APC flagbearer however enthused that the challenges facing the nation requires placing competence in governance above religious sentiments.
‘Religion ethnicity and region cannot always, and fully determine our path. To forge ahead as a Nation towards development and prosperity, we must break free of old binds. We must recalibrate our political calculations to where competence and fairness matter, more than reducible demographics’, Tinubu submitted.
Many Nigerians have however taken to social media to express their displeasure with the decision.