By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A frontline chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo State, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao, has described comments credited to Senator Ishaku Abbo, as unfortunate and lacking common sense.
Abbo representing Adamawa North Senatorial District had on his verified social media handles the public event, said anyone in the APC that is supporting the choice of Senator Kashim Shetima, a Muslim as the running mate of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Muslim, the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 general election, is a potential Boko Haram member.
He added that the Muslim/Muslim ticket is outrightly a blasphemy, sacrilege, slap and disrespect to all Christians in the country, especially those who are card-carrying members of APC.
But while reacting in a release issued in Ibadan, Alao called on political leaders in such as Abbo to be circumspect in their utterances, stating that the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC should not be an excuse for them to overheat the polity and set the country in the fire.
He accused Abbo of playing to the gallery by describing those supporting Tinubu/Shettima ticket as Boko Haram members, lamenting that his ilks who are opposed to the ticket should make do with all the channels in the party to iron out their grievances.
The Asiwaju of Iroko maintained that the time has come for every Nigerian to shun a tendency that promotes disunity as the country cannot afford this now, noting that divisive tendencies should not be a tradition in the nation’s polity.
He said the Tinubu-Shettima ticket represents the leadership that Nigeria needs now as the duo who were former governors have the experience behind them, insisting that they will offer solutions to the very many problems facing the country.
According to him, the ticket should not be seen as an imposition but as an outcome of democracy at its practical best and not to slight Christians, noting that Asiwaju Tinubu would be fair to all irrespective of tribe and religion as he has demonstrated this in the past.
He said, “The comment by Senator Abbo is quite unfortunate coming especially from a leader of APC and a serving Senator for that matter. I can only appeal to people like him to focus on things that would unite rather than what would lead to the disintegration of the country. For him to tag members who are in support of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket as Boko Haram members is uncalled for because politics should not be about religion but the competence of those to be elected.
“The ticket is a Nigerian project, not a sectional agenda which must be supported by all. I do not doubt in my mind that the ticket would not disappoint Nigerians if elected as the two candidates have all it takes to move the country forward.”
