A Northern group, the Arewa Youth Awareness Forum, on Wednesday, asked the Prof. Ishaq Akintola – led Muslim Rights Concern, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, to consider floating political parties instead of dictating to the two major political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, over choices of presidential running mates.

AYAF expressed concern over the two religious bodies’ interference in the affairs of the APC and the PDP.

This was just as the group said the choice of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had demonstrated the determination of the PDP flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, to win the 2023 presidential race through strategic nationwide mobilisation for votes.

“We applaud the choice of Governor Wike, whose numerous passionate infrastructural projects in Rivers State have been commissioned by eminent persons across the federation, including our revered Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar; we urge religious leaders to allow political parties to make their choices,” the group said.

In the statement signed by the group’s Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary-General; Mohammed Sani-Kabir, Salisu Abdurrahaman, and Ben Alege respectively, they emphasised the capacity to roll back poverty, insecurity, illiteracy and other indices of underdevelopment mattered more than sentiments.

They noted that Atiku’s choice of a southerner in the person of Governor Wike, who had a track record of developmental projects, including those commissioned by our revered Sultan, remained a reasonable strategy for winning the 2023 elections.

AYAF said, “Given deep-rooted economic, security and other challenges of nation-building that the nation faces today, one thing that is more needed than religious and ethnic sentiments is good, impactful governance, characterised by mass inclusion and leadership that can move mountains."(The PUNCH)