PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta and Rivers State have resigned their memberships from the party to register their resentment over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket announced on Sunday by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The duo of retired Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena from Delta and a former governorship candidate in Rivers, Prince Tonye Princewill, said the arrangement was the highest level of insensitivity to the Christian faith in the country.
Ajobena, a national caucus member of the APC and first Military Administrator of Abia State, described it as inhumane for such a decision to be taken by Tinubu.
He said he has a lot of respect for him and did not expect him to have taken such a discriminatory decision.
“Tinubu is not my enemy; I am not against him. But let’s call a spade a spade. It is not my character to be a double agent, I am not pretending; even though I like the APC, the right thing should be done.
“The decision could be described as one that portrays arrogance and total disrespect to us, Christians, in the APC.
“The latest development portrays us as a people who can easily be bought over with money. Such an action is a minus to our democratic system. In what capacity will I be serving in his campaign train? As a slave?
“A man must stand for something, else will fall for anything, hence, I am quitting,’’ he said in a statement.
Persecondnews had reported that Tinubu had announced in Daura, Kastina, a former Borno Governor, Sen. Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2023 presidential poll while paying a Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He justified the choice of Shettima for what he called his competence.
Ijaw leader, nonagenarian Chief Edwin Clark, had criticized the Tinubu-Shettima ticket and said it was unacceptable.
Also, Tonye Princewill, a philanthropist and an ally of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in his resignation letter addressed to the chairman of APC Tahhed Royal Ward in Buguma, expressed dismay over the choice of the party in fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“I cannot argue for equity in my state and defend inequality in the country. It is insensitive for the party to do so despite protests from religious and political divides across the country,’’ he said while thanking Amaechi who he called his leader for all his efforts.
He added:“It sets a very wrong precedent, it is totally insensitive and even if you win, will prove bad to good governance.
“Under these dire circumstances, I find no justification to still remain, in good conscience, a member of a political party that subordinates electoral victory over the safety of lives and the peace of mind of its citizens.
“The men and women of our party here in Rivers are the most loyal and faithful supporters I have met. They know what is right and wrong.
“And they know me. I enjoyed working with them and I’m so sad to leave. But an APC party that totally disregards the basics of the same equity we preach, is alien to me.
“Buhari resisted the same temptation and chose a little-known Osinbajo and won. By doing this, Tinubu is saying that a northern Christian has no electoral value. My staying means I agree.’’
“I wish you well. And I remain grateful to our leader (Rotimi Amaechi), but I cannot defend the indefensible, to be totally honest, neither should you,’’ Princewill said.
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