Nigerians Will Reject, Defeat APC’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket — MBF

• Berates ruling party for ignorance, insensitivity to Nigerians’ mood, pains

BY EDMOND ODOK – Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has warned that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) poses a grave danger to the collective wellbeing and unity of Nigeria, insisting that the ruling party’s evil plot will be defeated by Nigerians next year.

According to the MBF’s National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the choice of Senator Ibrahim Shettima by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election is an unfortunate political development.

Dr Pogu described the arrangement as indicative of the APC’s ignorance and insensitivity to the mood and pains of Nigerians at this point in time, adding; “It is an unfortunate development, unfortunate in the sense that we are living in a terrible period where the country is being tormented by insurgents from all over the place starting from Borno with Boko Haram and Shettima is from there.”

The MBF President, who made the assertion in Makurdi while reacting to the selection of Shettima, further said; “And if such is coming now without consideration to the plurality of this country with regards to region, religion and other issues, I think it is an unfortunate development.

“And for the presidential candidate of the APC to bow to such pressure is an unfortunate development. One would wish that they would look at what would be beneficial to Nigeria at this time.

“Nigerians have not recovered from the insurgency coming from mainly Islamic origin. It shows that the APC is insensitive to the plight of Nigeria and Nigerians. And it’s not ready to bring healing, reconciliation and rescue Nigeria from the problems it is facing.

“Now it is also an unfortunate development because this time is not the same with the MKO Abiola time, which was several years ago. These are times that religion should be handled with care.

“We believe that Nigerians, both Moslems and Christians would rise up and defeat this evil because if it does succeed then I doubt if Nigeria will get out of it.”

Furthermore, he said; “There are so many suspicious things going on which points accusing fingers to this government, of being complicit or at least being lenient towards the insurgency which is predominantly of Islamic origin. And for this same political party to now foisting a Muslim-Muslim ticket, I think it’s an unfortunate development. But I believe that Nigerians will defeat it, and we’ll get out of it.

“The ticket poses a danger to the collective wellbeing and unity of the country. At a time when we have insurgents of different forms, Boko Haram, herdsmen militia, ISWAP and others of Islamic religion all from the North and then to say you are foisting on Nigeria a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it is the most unpatriotic presentation at a time like this.

“It means APC has no sense of plurality and unity in Nigeria. Of course, if you look at appointments of the government in place, you will see that nepotism and religious leanings have been the case. And it will be unfortunate that the APC would go farther in this direction.

“Some are saying it doesn’t matter. That is not correct, at this time it does matter. And anybody who says it doesn’t matter is an enemy of the country, he doesn’t love Nigeria and doesn’t want Nigeria to succeed.”