Moses Ofodeme
The Chairman of the Youth Wing Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Adamawa State Chapter, Rev. Gabriel Shall, has rejected the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressive Party.
Rev. Shall on Friday said at a press conference held at the YOWICAN Secretariat in Yola that the action of the APC is condemnable and not welcome in a country like Nigeria striving for peace.
He said: “It is no longer news that the Unity and peace of our country is in distress and jeopardy simply because of a careless, insensitive and selfish decision of the Presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who against public outcry turned a deaf ear and picked a fellow Muslim from North East Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the February 2023 presidential election.
“On behalf of the Christian Youths in Adamawa State, under the auspices of Youth Wing Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) Adamawa State chapter, we strongly condemn this barefaced affront on Christians in Nigeria. We call on Tinubu and the APC with a loud voice to rescind this unpopular and divisive decision in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.”
He accused APC leaders of divisive actions and utterances.
He said,
“How else could you explain that a party seeking to lead a multicultural, multiethnic and religiously diverse country like Nigeria will go into campaigns with Muslim President, National Party Chairman, Deputy Chairman North and so on?
“The questions Northern Christians are asking is, are there no competent and qualified Christians in the APC? Why is this brazen disrespect and calculated marginalization of Northern christians in the ruling APC been promoted? To whose benefit?”
Speaking further, he said, “While we condemn the Muslim – Muslim ticket in the strongest terms, we want to call on All APC Christian Stakeholders in Nigeria to disassociate themselves from Bola Ahmed Tinubu if he will not rescind this unpopular, divisive choice.
“We equally want to call the attention of all APC candidates in Adamawa state including the Gubernatorial candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani to stand for equity, justice and fairness and condemn strongly this choice that is already fanning the flames of division in Nigeria.”
He commended the “boldness” of the Senator representing Adamawa North in the 9th Senate, Elisha Ishaku Abbo (Cliff) and the former SGF, Babachir David Lawal, for their continuous outcry against the APC ticket.