2023: APC, LP must opt for balanced ticket— Interfaith Group
…Says APC should pick Plateau Gov., Lalong as Tinubu’s running mate
An Inter-religious group, Interfaith Coalition Conference, has called on the Ruling Party, All Progressives Party(APC), Labour Party (LP) to opt for a Christian and Muslim as running mates respectively in the forthcoming Presidential election.
The group made this call on Thursday in Abuja while addressing journalists.
The Co-Chairman, Interfaith Coalition Conference and Former National President, Youth Wing of CAN (YOWICAN), said the call for Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim ticket will bring about balance, equity, justice and fairness in the democratic process of Nigeria.
He disclosed that a balanced ticket will help manage the Country’s diversity.
He also stated that the nation needs an all inclusive administration required to tackle spate of insecurity across the country.
“The major challenge we are having in this country is lack of equity and fairness, the nation is fast drifting and the we can’t fold our hands and allow the country to derail, we need to save this nation from collapse.
“We need to manage our diversity, chart the way forward for peace, politics is not about acrimony or fighting, politics is about choice of credible people who can represent this nation.
“Look towards getting a leader that can manage our diversity, we are looking forward to an inclusive nation. We are in a political dispensation and the transition process has started and we need to bring our people together.
“We are tired of the killings and kidnappings going on in the country, we can’t continue this, government should review the security architecture, we need leaders that will take responsibility, we have credible people in all the tribes and religion, this issue of Muslim /Muslim ticket or Christian /Christian ticket by some political parties should be reviewed, you cannot come and fly such an agenda, political parties shouldn’t create problems for us in this country. If for any reason we want to have a peaceful political process, why did the APC not pick a Northern Christian as the Vice presidential candidate and why did the Labour party not pick a northern Muslim to balance the whole process.
“Our problem in this country is managing our cultural and religious diversities in order to have a balanced political process. Those trying to divide us in this nation must understand that we are now awake and we are going to engage our people at all levels to resist this spirit of division in the interest of the country.
“We don’t want division in this country, Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian tickets is not the best for a country that is very fragile, with overwhelming mutual suspicion, it is a hoax to divide this nation and we cannot tolerate it. We will mobilise our people to vote against that political party and we will go to any length to mobilise against anything that will cause division in this country,” he stated.
In a similar call, a member of the group, Sen. Abubakar Mahdi representing Borno South Senatorial District stressed that a balanced ticket cannot be negotiated in the selection of presidential running mates in APC and LP.
He revealed that Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong is a perfect fit for APC’s presidential flag bearer, former Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu running mate.
According to him, “A Christian Northern should be taken as running mate. The person that is most qualified is the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.
“Let me say without any fear that I have no relationship with Lalong but I am saying this because of fairness, equity and Justice.
“Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential flag bearer is my friend, he won the APC ticket. former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi came up as the second runner up during the APC presidential primaries, if Governor Simon Lalong supported Ameachi, in fact they shouldn’t have left the Eagle Square before announcing Lalong as Tinubu’s running mate,” he said.
