“This is not 1993 and whether we like it or not we must accept the fact that religion plays a major role in our politics today.”
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has cautioned the party against fielding an all Muslim presidential ticket in next year’s polls.
In a statement on Monday, Mr. Fani-Kayode said the APC would lose “woefully” if they present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2015 presidential election.
“I have said it privately in countless political meetings and I will say it publicly today. Please mark it – the biggest mistake that my party, the APC, can make is to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2015 Presidential election. If we do that we will not only offend the Christian community, but we will also lose the election woefully,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
In the 1993 presidential election, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, had fielded M.K.O Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe – both of them staunch Muslims – and still went ahead to garner a landslide victory in the annulled election.
“This is not 1993 and whether we like it or not we must accept the fact that religion plays a major role in our politics today,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
“Our party must have both a Christian and a Muslim on the ticket if we want to be taken seriously in the Presidential election. I implore those that think otherwise to sit down and think this through properly,” Mr. Fani-Kayode added.
Mr. Fani-Kayode further argued that presenting a Christian/Christian ticket would be as insensitive to the feelings of Muslims as a Muslim/Muslim ticket would be insensitive to the feelings of Christians.
“I for one would never support a ticket that presents two members of the same faith no matter what the consequences would be.
“This country belongs to both Muslims and Christians- we are all one and we must ensure that we do not hurt the feelings or the sensitivities of one another either advertently or inadvertently. As they say ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions.’
“Let us be mindful of our actions, deeds and words, no matter how well-intentioned they may be, and let us ensure that we do not confirm the terrible stereotyping that those that are against us are trying to label us with.
“The APC is the only hope for Nigeria. Let us not mess it up by making the wrong choices. A word is enough for the wise,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
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