Femi Fani-Kayode Warns APC Against Muslim/Muslim Presidential Ticket
Culled from Premium Times:
“This is not 1993 and whether we like it or not we must accept the fact that religion plays a major role in our politics today.” A
chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Aviation
Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has cautioned the party against fielding an
all Muslim presidential ticket in next year’s polls.
In
a statement on Monday, Mr. Fani-Kayode said the APC would lose
“woefully” if they present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2015
presidential election.
“I
have said it privately in countless political meetings and I will say
it publicly today. Please mark it – the biggest mistake that my party,
the APC, can make is to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2015
Presidential election. If we do that we will not only offend the
Christian community, but we will also lose the election woefully,” Mr.
Fani-Kayode said.
In
the 1993 presidential election, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, had
fielded M.K.O Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe – both of them staunch
Muslims – and still went ahead to garner a landslide victory in the
annulled election.
annulled election.
“This
is not 1993 and whether we like it or not we must accept the fact that
religion plays a major role in our politics today,” Mr. Fani-Kayode
said.
“Our
party must have both a Christian and a Muslim on the ticket if we want
to be taken seriously in the Presidential election. I implore those that
think otherwise to sit down and think this through properly,” Mr.
Fani-Kayode added.
Mr.
Fani-Kayode further argued that presenting a Christian/Christian ticket
would be as insensitive to the feelings of Muslims as a Muslim/Muslim
ticket would be insensitive to the feelings of Christians.
“I for one would never support a ticket that presents two members of the same faith no matter what the consequences would be.
“This
country belongs to both Muslims and Christians- we are all one and we
must ensure that we do not hurt the feelings or the sensitivities of one
another either advertently or inadvertently. As they say ‘the road to
hell is paved with good intentions.’
“Let
us be mindful of our actions, deeds and words, no matter how
well-intentioned they may be, and let us ensure that we do not confirm
the terrible stereotyping that those that are against us are trying to
label us with.
“The
APC is the only hope for Nigeria. Let us not mess it up by making the
wrong choices. A word is enough for the wise,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.