APC Muslim-Muslim ticket is direct attack on Christians – Ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal.
Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Thursday criticised presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, for his decision to choose a Northern Muslim, Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
In an interview on Arise TV, Lawal who is an ally of Tinubu, condemned the choice of a muslim as running mate,and said the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a direct attack on Christians.
He said the APC had produced a Muslim presidential candidate and that most of the officials in the party are all Muslims. The deputy national chairman of the party is also a muslim.
While responding to a question that the Planning and Strategy Committee of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation which he chaired recommended Shettima, a northern muslim, Lawal said, “Our report was very detailed about the implication of religion in this coming election. In the report, both scenarios were viewed and analysed and the report made provision for the advantages of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and the disadvantages.
“There was also a recommendation as to the benefits and demerits of a Muslim-Christian ticket, and that outweighs the benefit of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“I tried to get the APC to see the benefits of including the Christian community in the National Working Committee and National Executive Council of the party, but they didn’t listen and instead appointed Muslims as both the national chairman and deputy national chairman.”
“First of all, nobody should aspire to be President of this country if he ignores the religious dichotomy in the system. We know that religion is a major factor in this country and it’s a divisive factor. And anybody wishing to lead this country, ought to be concerned that he is going to kickstart his government in a manner that is divisive in a manner that is antagonistic to a certain segment of the society.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is Christianity, whether it is Igbo tribe, or Hausa tribe, or Muslims or so on. You are supposed to, first of all, seek to unite the people you intend to rule. Whatever else you will do, without this unity, nobody will appreciate it.”
“First of all, you would antagonise the Christian majority in this country; it’s a direct attack on them. And even in your own zone, you might put your election in jeopardy. Because when it comes to religion, Nigerians take religion first. Now, you’ll jeopardise the whole of the Christian religion in the North, in the South, in the South East”.
“I can tell you that this is not about religion. This is about all-inclusiveness, this is about equity, this is about justice, this is about peaceful co-existence with each other, with our neighbours. No Muslim wants to be in an acrimonious relationship with the Christians. The fight we are fighting, is a fight for everybody, for justice,” he said.
“This is where the danger would come; if you go into a government in which the Christian population feels discriminated against; whatever that government would do, no matter what they do to placate the Christian community, there will be no interest in supporting this government,” he noted.
