Group seeks understanding on APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

A faith-based organisation working on Inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and good governance, the Strength in Diversity Development Centre (SDDC), has called for understanding among Nigerians over the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election.

A statement by the Centre’s Founder, Imam Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu, and a member, Pastor Gabriel Asusu of the Living Word Church, Ojo, said Nigeria is going through tough time, and “we cannot afford to heat up the polity and allow religion to divide us, rather should be a tool to strengthen our diversity.”

According to them, politics and religion are veritable tools of shaping a society and to increase the level of development.

They lamented that political gladiators had used religion and ethnicity to propagate political interest, depending on perverse situations.

The Centre understands the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria on this, however, stated that religion or ethnicity, according to the Nigerian constitution, couldn’t be a criteria for nomination or selection of people into public offices.

The duo said: “As religious leaders and faith-based institutions, our tolerance has been put under test and scrutiny by the current political agitations, hence we must demonstrate a high level of understanding with the effort to improving on our Inter-religious collaboration to weather the current political storm to move Nigeria ahead irrespective of any religious or ethnic interest (s).

“For instance, the recently concluded election in Osun state, where the good people of the state (Muslims, Christians and traditional) unanimously voted-out incumbent Muslim/Christian government and voted in a joint Christian/Christian ticket without considering religion. We also appeal for more engagement from our political parties, fostering wider consultations in taking certain decisions.”

A member of the group, Gabriel Asusu, tasked Nigerians to look in the direction of good leadership and jettison religion and ethnicity, urging them to focus on performance in voting for a leader.