The number 23 has a strong character all by itself what being a prime number to start with then having been worn by such sport greats as David Beckham, Lebron James and Michael Jordan amongst many but the reason for this meander down the rabbit hole is the claymore that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu detonated on the Nigerian politicosphere during a 35 paragraph press release.

In Selecting Senator Kashim Shettima, BAT as we have come to be inundated by, on this presidential campaign has finally confirmed the fears of half the populace of Africa’s most populous nation on his dream of a Muslim-Muslim candidacy reality. A reality that first gains credence in paragraph 23 of his press conference which goes thus:

“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 nation toward uncommon progress. This will require innovation. It will require steps never before taken. It will also require decisions that are politically difficult and rare.”

Of uttermost concern is the latter half of the paragraph especially as regards the need for steps never before taken and requiring politically difficult and rare decisive decisions but before broaching that, a little examination of the first half of the paragraph shows a conundrum that already exists and why this was always going to be a touchy subject however one tries to approach it from.

If truth is a state, a fixed point in time and event and a debate has but two sides, then both could hardly be right if there necessitates a need for one to be wrong as is likewise similar for both to be wrong if we expect that one side ought to be right. For a little bit of clarity on the matter we might have to read paragraph 22 which goes thus:

“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 counseled that I should select a Christian to please the Christian community. Others have said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly, I cannot do both.”

If we are to assume that the Christian pleasing community made their strongest case based on equity, fairness, and Justice, what points would the Muslim pleasing community have proffered in their arguments? Or are we to take the paragraph at face value and assume that the “Just” people spoke for a Christian Vice while the “Nobles” spoke on behalf of the Muslims seeing as the vast majority of Nobility/Traditional Rulers in the APC strongholds of the North and South-West are Islamic adherents. Anyways we would now never know until a book is written by the main protagonist about the last couple of months.

Do we now return to our main staple of discussion? Going by his personal admission, "the spirit of 93 is upon us, and looking to build upon the sustainable progress that has been laid these past seven years by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari", what difficult political decisions would BAT have to take or make that hasn’t been already done?

If we cross-examine the acceptance of the Hope ’93 team of Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Abiola and Alhaji Babagana Kingibe the glaring happenstance would be that circa that era, the Nigerian divide was strictly along ethnicity lines, intermarriages across faiths were more rampant in those days as religious tolerance as exemplified by non-other than BAT and his adorable wife Mrs. Remi Tinubu who is a Christian. The monster that is religious intolerance would really start to grow its horns with the advent of this current democratic dispensation we began in 1999.

Were we to throw our search beam on the praise of the current administration, we are once again left with a barrage of missiles as to the current state of the economy as well as the state of security of the nation as a whole. We all know where we stand on the two subject matters, the dollar keeps rising but even more worrisome, the Naira is falling against most African currencies. Bread was shared as a souvenir at an “owambe” I attended yesterday (I kid you not).
The North East has Boko Haram, North West has Bandits, North Central has the Herdsmen and rustlers while the South East has “Ungun Known Men”. Let the South West not sleep with both eyes closed as the Amotekun have their work cut out for them in the shape of kidnappers hiding in the various forest reserves.

Is selecting Senator Kashim Shettima a difficult and rare decision? I would opine that only the politically uninitiated would admit yes and the reason for that is simple, his selection is purely a politically motivated one with the sole purpose of guaranteeing that BAT gets as many votes as possible in the coming elections from first and foremost the North East Zone which is supposed to be the stronghold of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku who is the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party, the main opposition and later the entire North in General.

The competency of the newly declared Vice Presidential candidate is very obvious from his curriculum vitae, need we add that there are no gaps or missing certificates from primary up to NYSC and even masters to boot but what probably makes him the most qualified man as at this moment is the linage from which he descended.

Senator Kashim Shettima is the son of Sir Shettima Kashim Ibrahim an illustrious son of the Borno whose early career in education culminated when he joined politics in 1951-52; he was elected into the Northern Regional Assembly; he was nominated from the North as a cabinet nominee. Thereafter, he was appointed the Federal Minister for Social Services and later that of Education. In 1956, he was appointed as the Waziri of Borno by the Shehu. Waziri Ibrahim Shettima became the Governor of the Northern region in 1962, holding office until the military coup of 16 January 1966. He was appointed a CBE in 1960 and knighted as a KCMG in 1962.

If this has left you with more questions than answers then welcome to how I am also feeling but the one sure fact we can all take away is that If we are truly going to see innovative, rare, and difficult decisions from BAT and his Vice Presidential candidate (congratulations to the senator) we are going to have to wait and see if voting Nigerians buy into Asiwaju’s dream of a nation blind to its religious differences.

GOD BLESS TINUBU

GOD BLESS SHETIMA

GOD BLESS THE APC

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

Tinubu knows how to select the best hands for the job .Tinubu like every yoruba is not a religous fanatic.
He works with Christian and Muslims, has helped Muslims and Christians. Religion shouldn't an obstruction when we see competence.

Ok