APC out of race, we will mobilise for equity, justice – Middle Belt Forum

The pan-Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said that it is not bordered by the decision of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to pick a Muslim, Kashim Shetima, as his vice presidential candidate in what is now termed ‘Muslim-Muslim ticket’.

The spokesman of the group, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, told Saturday Telegraph in Enugu that the apex Igbo group does not want to split hairs over such political choice, whether right or wrong, saying that the group would take a position on the candidate to vote for. Also speaking on behalf of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) on the matter, its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson said that the group’s National Leader, Edwin Clark made a release condemning the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the APC, but that the group had not taken a position on which of the presidential candidate to vote for.

In the same vein, the National President of the Middlebelt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu said that the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu will not get their support for picking a Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2023 General Election. Pogu who spoke with our correspondent in Jos said the APC is out of the equation for 2023 Presidency for presenting a Muslim- Muslim ticket, saying if they love Nigeria they wouldn’t do what they did. Ohanaeze’s spokesman, Ogbonnia added that at the appointed time, Ndigbo will take a position on who or which party to vote for in the presidential elections based on their assessment of the candidates put forward by the parties. Ogbonnia said, “Ohanaeze doesn’t want to get involved. We are taking all these one by one; let them continue in their wisdom or lack of it. Let the political parties continue in their wisdom or lack of it, at the end we’ll look at the character of the presidential candidates and their vice or deputies, we’ll be able to take our position; then Igbos will take their position.

“So, Ohanaeze position is that let them continue in their wisdom or lack of it, then by the time we look at the parties and their candidates, Ndigbo will take their position”. Speaking further on behalf of PANDEF, Robinson said that “recall that at the last meeting of the Southern and Middle belt Leaders Forum on June 26, the resolution was that we were going to interact with the appropriate presidential candidates that is mainly from Southern Nigeria and thereafter we shall make a recommendation to Nigerians on which of them to support.

“We have not had this engagement but unfortunately the APC despite the fact that they have responded to the Southern presidency clamour, have gone ahead to pick a Muslim as a running mate but the reality of the matter is that a vice presidential candidate is just a vice president and you know how vice presidents have been treated in Nigeria. They are like spare tyres. That is the reality but the truth of the matter is that the Muslim/ Muslim ticket is offensive and every other person has condemned it but PANDEF has not met to decide on who to support.

“At the bigger level the Southern and Middle belt Forum has also not met to decide on who to support because our agreement was that we will interact with all the candidates and then reach a position. Pogu, who spoke on behalf of the Middle Belt Forum, said further that the Middlebelt will also mobilise campaign against any candidate from the North and support the Southern candidacy of Peter Obi. “Our position is consistent and it is that the President be zoned to the South, and we will support the candidate that believes in one Nigeria, who will transform Nigeria and do what is right, and Peter Obi is that person we will support come 2023”.

“We have indicated clearly that we will campaign against any political party that zones its President to the North. After eight years of Northern Presidency, it is now the turn of Southern Nigeria. Fairness and justice should prevail.” He noted that the position of the Middlebelt has been consistent that the 2023 Presidency be zoned to the South, saying that the Middlebelt position has not changed and that it will not change. “Nigeria is more divided now than before and there is need to elect a Southern President based on the zoning arrangement and not Muslim-Muslim ticket, but candidates that will unite all Nigerians together irrespective of tribe and religion,” he said. (New Telegraph)

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