The presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi; yesterday clashed over the same-faith ticket.

While Atiku and Obi’s campaigns opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, describing it as divisive and a disaster, the APC countered that the track records of its candidates and the solution-driven and all-inclusive progressive programmes they have for Nigerians would prevail. APC added that given the manner Atiku snatched the PDP ticket, contrary to the North-South power-sharing arrangement, he was the divider of Nigeria.

Atiku kick-started the clash when he pooh-poohed the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC, saying it was a recipe for disaster.

Speaking in Jos at the 2023 extra-ordinary General Church Council, GCC of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, Atiku asked Christians to have confidence in him, adding that they would gain a lot from his administration if elected.

Atiku, who spoke through former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, encouraged Nigerians of different religious backgrounds to live in peace and harmony, stressing that God did not make mistake in creating people and allowing them to belong to different tribal, and ethnic and religious backgrounds.

The PDP standard bearer spoke as the Labour Party described same faith ticket as divisive. Meanwhile, the APC declined a fresh response to the PDP and LP, saying it stood on its earlier reasons for choosing Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima (who are Muslims) as presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Muslim-Muslim ticket will divide Nigeria

Atiku said: “A divided Nigeria cannot achieve the purpose of God for us as a people. A divided country will only keep us in darkness and disunity. All through my life, I have lived and worked harmoniously with people of other faiths and ethnic affiliations with ease because of mutual understanding and respect.

“My business and political partners come from different backgrounds with zero expressions of religious or ethnic sentiments. I have never contemplated the same faith ticket throughout my political career. The Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by some people is a recipe for disaster. It is an indication that not everyone will be carried along in government.

“As Governor-elect of Adamawa in 1999, I gave my full backing to Boni Haruna (a Christian) to take over when I was nominated Vice President against all odds.

“Boni governed Adamawa for eight uninterrupted years. In Taraba, Rev Jolly Nyame was encouraged to contest the governorship in 1999 just after losing the local government primary elections. We have and are working together with many Christians across the nation and the Church should have confidence in my capacity, experience and ability to deliver”.

The PDP presidential candidate also expressed his appreciation to Christians all over the country for their prayers and commitment to the nation and assured that he would not relent in cementing a cordial relationship between Christians and Muslims all the time.

The Church will get a lot under my watch

“The church stands to get a lot under my watch as President of this nation if elected. Knowing the significance and importance of unity in peace and development, I will do everything possible to sustain and consolidate it. Any society that is not united will suffer. We have no reason to divide ourselves. A divided Nigeria cannot take us anywhere. If Nigeria is divided, both Christians and Muslims will suffer. Together with Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as Vice President, we will take Nigeria to greater heights”, he said.

Atiku also commended the ECWA for sustaining the annual extraordinary GCC Council meeting, saying it was where progress and developments were reviewed and new working strategies adopted.

He prayed for wisdom and strength for the ECWA leadership to continue to provide good leadership for the church.

Same faith ticket, not an option – Dogara

Speaking for himself, Dogara admonished Christians to take stock of what each presidential candidate has done for Northern Christians and meditate on it. Quoting copiously from the Bible, Dogara likened Atiku to the popular centurion in the Bible, whose faith was acknowledged by Jesus because of his determination to help across divides.

He said they settled for Atiku following a scientific analysis of the various candidates, which presented Atiku as the leading candidate in the contest.

“Do not waste your votes by casting them elsewhere. We believe very strongly in coming together and living together.

The Muslim- Muslim ticket is not an option at all. It does not give room for mutual understanding, unity, peace and stability. Atiku has great respect for northern Christians hence his choice of a Christian to deputise for him. We know him as a good man, who has contributed to building the brethren and the church even as a Muslim. He does not segregate and his experience and abilities speak for him all the time.”

Dogara added: “This period of gross darkness hovering over the nation must be overcome. We keep surviving one catastrophe and jumping to another. Darkness is evidence of the absence of light. We must lighten our lights and let them shine. Atiku remains the Pan-Nigeria candidate that has what it takes to move this nation forward by uniting us across the various divides we have found ourselves.

“Based on the scientific analysis inclusive of CAN leadership, we arrived at the choice of this man as a candidate to beat in the coming elections.”

He apologized for the absence of Atiku and Okowa at the occasion, saying they were in Ekiti for the nationwide presidential rally.

We’re listening to all candidates, ‘ll decide soon – ECWA president

In a remark, the President of ECWA, Revered Dr. Stephen Baba Panya, appreciated Atiku for finding time to give attention to what the church auditorium was doing and for sending eminent political leaders to grace the church’s GCC meeting.

He said the church was watching, monitoring and listening to all the candidates and will take decisions according to its conviction soon.

APC’s same faith ticket divisive says LP

Also opposing the same faith ticket, the LP said democracy is about representation, inclusiveness and respect for diversity.

Chief Spokesman of the LP Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Yunusa Tanko, in a telephone interview with Vanguard, on Tuesday, noted that Nigeria’s diversity made it imperative for all political parties to take into account the sensibilities of citizens, who all have roles to play in national development.

His words: “Our opposition to the same faith ticket is based on what true democracy stands for. True democracy in a society like ours recognizes and respects our diversity and this diversity must be reflected in our choice of candidates for the highest offices in the land. “The decision of the ruling APC to jettison this is a slight on our collective sensibilities.”

Atiku, a divider, not unifier – APC PCC

When contacted, the APC Presidential Campaign Council PCC said it had no response to the fresh outburst by Atiku, saying it had in the past addressed the issue at several fora.

On one such occasion in the recent past, Director, Media and Publicity at the APC PCC, Mr Bayo Onanuga had said Atiku’s emergence as PDP’s candidate would divide the country. He said the PDP cannot continue to refer to Atiku as a “unifier” when he clearly represents the antithesis of the goal “having emerged the greatest divider of our polity between the North and South.”

His words: “All Nigerians are aware that Atiku’s emergence as the PDP presidential candidate grossly violated a power rotation code between the North and the South. His insistence on snatching and retaining what rightly belongs to another political region has triggered a crisis within his party, making him run from Port Harcourt to London to mend fences.

“From the engagements our leaders have had with men of all faiths, bigotry will not win next February election. What will prevail are the track records of our candidates and the solution-driven and all-inclusive progressive programmes the candidates offer Nigerians.

“Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Shettima are going into this campaign with clear objectives to engage Nigerians across the socio-economic brackets on policy actions that will make their lives better. Our candidates will not exploit our country’s fault lines to win the election and sell religion as Kool-Aid.” (Vanguard)

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