Stephen Ukandu, News / Features Editor
As reactions continue to trail the decision of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pick a fellow Muslim, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, as his running mate, his political ally and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, has described the action as “satanic and a disastrous error.”
Lawal who did not hide his condemnation of the action said he saw it coming and had made his reservations known to the proponents long before the announcement was made, but regretted that they brushed aside his wise counsel.
The former SFG, a Christian from North-East, said he suspected that “Tinubu is currently surrounded by sycophants who will lie to him and malign others to curry his favour.”
His reaction is coming less than 24 hours after northern Christians in APC announced their pulling out from Tinubu’s campaign team, citing the Muslim-Muslim ticket as reason for their withdrawal.
According to them, Tinubu’s action amounts to daring Christians, hence their conscience would no longer allow them drum support for somebody who have no regards for their religion.
Lawal said that APC was headed for disaster by that choice which has far-reaching implications.
The position of the former SFG was contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The statement obtained by Ikengaonline read in part: “The result is that they have played on his long-term ambition to be President and have built it into a sort of desperation and a crescendo that easily justifies this satanic resort to a Muslim-Muslim ticket. This is the calamity that has befallen my friend.
“It appears that the gods want to destroy the APC and its presidential candidate and have chosen the instrumentality of the northern Muslim governors and their super ambitious tool and Kashim Ibrahim for this purpose.
“Alhaji Kashim Shettima is a Greek gift from the northern governors to Tinubu. I advise Bola to make sure Kashim’s two hands are always in his plain sight and empty.”
The former SGF vowed that northern Christians and their southern counterparts would revolt against Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
“Now tell me which Christian will vote for the APC with the following contraption: Muslim presidential candidate (Lagos), Muslim vice presidential candidate (Borno), Muslim National Chairman (Nasarawa), Muslim Deputy National Chairman (Borno), Muslim President (Katsina); Muslim Senate President (Yobe); Muslim Speaker (Lagos); Muslim Deputy Speaker (Plateau) e.t.c.,” he added.
Meanwhile, some APC chieftains have already started dumping the broom over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
In Rivers State, a former governorship candidate of the party, Tonye Princewill, resigned his membership of APC citing Muslim-Muslim ticket.
His resignation was contained in a letter he addressed to the Chairman of the APC in his ward (3) Tahhed Royal Ward in Buguma, Asar Toru Loval Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday.
It read: “I cannot defend the decision of my party in fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket, especially at a time like this, against all protestations from well-meaning Nigerians, across religious and political divides.”
Similarly, in Delta State, another party Chief, Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena (retd.), also dumped the party, citing same reason.
Describing the decision as a total disrespect for Christians, the former Naval Chief said that Nigeria as currently constituted was not ripe for same faith joint ticket.
“The decision (Muslim-Muslim ticket) could be described as one that smacks of arrogance and a total disrespect to us Christians in APC.”
Ikengaonline had earlier reported the resignation of legal luminary, Daniel Bwala from the home state of Kashim Shettima, and Nollywood superstar, Kenneth Okonkwo, from the ruling APC as a fallout of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
