Following the emergence of Chief Bola Tinubu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for the 2023 poll, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has cautioned against a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
The call came against the backdrop of a possible picking of a Northern Muslim as Tinubu’s vice-presidential candidate.
Persecondnews recalls that Kaduna State Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, had thrown his weight behind a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, saying there is nothing wrong about it.
According to the National President of CAN, Dr Samson Ayokunle, such a step would be disastrous for the country.
He spoke in Sunday at the interdenominational church service to mark the 2022 Democracy Day celebration held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, with the theme, “More than Conquerors.’’
Among the dignitaries in the service are the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, representatives of the Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Deputy Chief Whip of the Federal House of Representatives.
Others are the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Paulen Tallen, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Ambassadors of Jamaica, Burundi, Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Angola, Botswana and the Country Director of the World Health Organization, Dr Walter Mulombo.
Ayokunle warned that any party undermines the Christian community in the quest to produce the country’s president in 2023 will do so at its own peril.
“While I congratulate the candidates, I must sound this warning, please do not fly a Muslim-Muslim ticket. It would not fly. It will not stand. Rather, it would set the nation against each other.
“The candidate who will emerge is the one who works with the Church. Please, do not alienate the church.
“If you embrace equity, fairness and justice, the Nigerian electorate will reward you with their votes at the polls and they will give you their support,’’ Ayokunle, represented by the President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and founder of Sword of The Spirit Ministries International, Bishop Francis Wale-Oke, said.
On the need for equity and fairness, the CAN President said it amounts to injustice for a region in the country to deprived of the right to produce a president.
While sending a strong message to the political elite, Ayokunle said: “You can only rule when there is a nation. In your campaigns, make sure you exalt fairness, justice and equity. If there is no righteousness, fairness and equity, we will remain divided.
“There is no fairness if a certain people from a certain ethnic group are reduced to second class citizens who cannot aspire to the highest office in the land.
“We pray for an end to killing people in their place of worship. We pray for a nation that is united and where justice, fairness and equity reigns. God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.”
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