Tinubu’s running mate, Shettima urges Nigerians to shun religious sentiment ahead of 2023 elections
by ebor cletus ralph jr
In advance of the general elections in 2023, Kashim Shettima, the vice-presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), encouraged Nigerians to avoid politics based on religious emotion.
The former governor of Borno State made the decision while entertaining APC Professionals’ Forum participants in Abuja.
He pushed Nigerians to focus more on the nation’s development than on their personal religious beliefs.
He emphasised that the world had moved past religious sentiment and that the nation needed to concentrate on entering the industrial age.
The former governor was chosen as Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate last Sunday for the APC presidential nomination.
Backlash against the ruling party’s choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket has emerged across the nation, particularly from the Christian sector.
Shettima said: “I feel highly honoured and am delighted to receive you in my humble abode, the world is changing, the world has moved from agricultural age to industrial age.
“And now we are in the knowledge driven age, in other clans, people are talking of nano technology, biotechnology, and quick data and of artificial intelligence.
“While we are busy here talking about headsmen, farmers/herders clash, rural banditry, kidnapping and battling with Boko Haram and talking about religious mix.
“The task before us is to transform this nation into a just and fair society where everyone will have a sense of belonging.
Shettima said his combination with Tinubu would provide quality leadership to Nigerians more than any religious sentiment.
The ex-governor added: “I want to reassure Nigerians that; they are accusing him of an attempt to Islamise the country, has he started with Islamising his own family.
“Asiwaju Bola Amed Tinubu, yes, his running mate might be a Muslim, but his life mate for over 40 years is not only a Christian, but a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“He did not enforce his own Islamic faith on his own children, he was the first governor to hand-over mission schools to the owners, and he has groomed people from all works of life.
“One of his commissioners while he was governor of Lagos State was from Katsina State and another one was from Delta, he also had a special adviser of an Igbo extraction.”
