A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Doknan Sheni, says the party’s candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, could lose the 2023 presidential election.
The leader of Christian members of the APC in the 19 states of the North stated this in an interview with Vanguard on Thursday in Abuja.
Sheni said that the APC Presidential candidate could lose the 2023 presidency because of the Muslim-Muslim ticket controversy. He added that Tinubu’s decision could also cost the ruling party some political positions across the country in 2023.
The APC chieftain claimed that some Northern APC governors persuaded Tinubu to go for the Muslim-Muslim ticket in order to garner more votes in the North.
Sheni alleged that the APC had been discriminating against Christians in sharing positions in the party, adding that the ruling party has a very bad image among the Christian faithful.
He said: “We are concerned that if we do not speak out now, and then a political/religious crossfire occurs, we may end up like Lebanon. God forbid. We don’t want a religious war in Nigeria.
We already fought a civil war, now people are suffering economic issues. Presently; people are suffering various types of issues in the country. Why do we choose to add religion on top of our politics?
“Unfortunately, Tinubu was convinced to pick a Muslim running mate. We are members of the APC. With the development, our party may lose the election.
“We are concerned as Christians in the North because if the Christians totally boycott APC, the implication is that our other aspirants or candidates at the Houses of Assembly, governorship, and National Assembly would all loseIf those Christians decide to migrate to other parties, our party will lose and we will become the opposition just because of religious politics.
“Our party has a very bad image among the Christians. They look at us as an Islamic party. Look at the security structure, they are taken by Muslims. Look at our party, the current president is a Muslim, and the party chairman is a Muslim. Every officer of the party is a Muslim except one who is an assistant secretary, others are all Muslims. Does it mean Christians don’t exist in the North? That is discrimination
Sheni asked the APC presidential candidate not to wait until he becomes the president before he is fair to all religion
He expressed worry that the country might have Muslim presidents for 24 years if Tinubu wins the 2023 presidential election and the presidency goes back to the Nort
“Why can’t he be fair now? Why is he waiting to be fair later on? Do you know the implication of that? President Muhammadu Buhari is a Muslim, he ruled for eight years, after him, if Asiwaju emerges, he is a Muslim, he would rule for eight year
“When power comes back to the North, it will be a Muslim ruling for another eight years. That means in the next 24 years, we would only have Muslim presidents of Nigeria,” he said.