Major General Muhammadu Buhari, a
former Head of State, says he is keeping
an open mind about the possibility of
picking a Muslim as his running mate if he
gets the presidential nomination of the All
Progressives Congress (APC). The issue of
Muslim-Muslim ticket is seen as a potential
setback for the APC in the election
because of the increasingly political nature
of religion in recent years.
Buhari, in particular, is perceived as an
extremist and his likely combination with
another Muslim for the presidential election
is considered in some quarters as too
sensitive.
But, in an interview with TheCable ,
Buhari said he had demonstrated to
Nigerians that he is not a fundamentalist
and “there is nothing more I can do”. He
said: “Nigerians will always uncover
impossible room for manoeuvre for
politicians. I had to face one of the
governors during one of our party’s
meetings [over the issue of religion].
“In 2003, I chose Chuba Okadigbo as my
running mate. He was a Roman Catholic.
He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin
Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic.
He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even
a pastor. Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what
do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t
believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else
can I do?”
He likened his situation to that of Moshood
Abiola, a southern Muslim, who picked
Babagana Kingibe, a northern Muslim, as
running mate in the 1993 presidential
election. The Muslim-Muslim ticket went on
to win an election that is still considered
by many as the most credible in Nigeria’s
history.
“I have not absolutely closed my mind to
picking a Christian or Muslim as running
mate if I get the ticket. Because I firmly
believe that Nigerians, having gone
through what they have gone through,
realise it is not a matter of religion, but a
matter of Nigeria.
“And the main religions, Christianity and
Islam, they know and they believe in the
almighty God. The question of stealing and
short-changing people in the name of
religion should stop,” he said.
He made reference to the 1961 northern
house of assembly election, when Ibrahim
Imam, a Kanuri Muslim from Borno, won
an election to represent Tivland, a Catholic
domain in the Middle Belt, after being
sponsored by Joseph Tarka, the leading Tiv
politician then.
“This new phenomenon of religion is
another blackmail political confusionists in
Nigeria are bringing to the fore,” he said.
He also said religion cannot be an issue if
he wins APC’s ticket and goes ahead to
win the presidential election, because of
the background of many political leaders
from the south-west.
The wives of Bola Tinubu, APC national
leader; Oyo governor, Abiola Ajimobi;
Lagos governor, Babatunde Fashola; Ogun
governor, Ibikunle Amosun; and former
APC interim chairman, Bisi Akande, are all
Christians, Buhari pointed out.
“For goodness sake, the children of these
political leaders were bred and brought up
by Christian mothers. You think those
people, wherever they participate, they will
bring a religious issue? What kind of
people are we? Nigerians will always bring
something to cause confusion while we are
trying to stabilise the system,” he said.
Fashola, a Muslim, is one of those touted
to be his running mate, although
TheCable also reported recently that
former attorney-general of Lagos, Yemi
Osinbajo, a professor of law and a pastor in
the Redeemed Christians Church of God, is
being considered as well.
Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State,
is also on the cards.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/2015-presidency-opposed-muslimmuslim-ticket-buhari/

Christian - Christian ticket nko

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