2023: Tinubu’s Misstep Picking Shettima As Running Mate – ACF Chieftain, Sani

• Fears of religious dominance heighten, deep wounds need healing

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani has described as an obvious misstep and insensitivity the decision of All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pick former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2023 general election.

Sani said the religious sensitivity of Nigerians at present calls for inclusiveness and a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by the ruling party clearly negates efforts at promoting unity and nation building in all aspects.

Reacting to Shettima’s choice by Tinubu, the ex-ACF Scribe said; “The challenges posed by Muslim-Muslim ticket is not so much about winning the elections but about the aftermath of governance in an era some notable Nigerians have alleged Islamization agenda against APC government however misguided.

“This is because a Muslim-Muslim ticket will provide such persons with more ammunition against the APC government, more so that it will run against the promise by the APC candidate that he will unite the country by making Nigeria feel great again with promise of glory days ahead.”

He said a Muslim-Christian ticket would have been the most appropriate option for Tinubu and the APC in the interest of those expressing genuine fears about religious domination in one form or the other adding; “I had hoped a Muslim-Christian ticket would be more expedient, considering that such a ticket will not scare the Muslim North due to the electoral value of Christians who control only three states out of nineteen Northern states and at the same time, appease the South which is predominantly Christians.”

However, the ACF Chieftain said all things being equal, “If the APC prevails in the elections with Muslim-Muslim ticket, I hope the regime will be mindful of the challenges and go as far as efforts can go to dispel the misconceptions through good governance in order to render such politics of identity superfluous”.