Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket Deceitful, Unnecessary

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a well-known Northern Islamic cleric, has described the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a deceit and an unnecessary move.

The cleric disclosed this while answering questions from journalists at his Kaduna residence, regarding the chances of the APC candidate, candidate of the People Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi.

The cleric counselled Nigerians to abandon ethno-religious politics in the twenty-first century and unify as a single people for the benefit of the nation.

He said, “The Muslim-Muslim ticket is unnecessary. We all know that these politicians are looking for votes. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is deceit. It is not religion. Right now, I cannot say whether it will favour them or not; I don’t want to pre-empt. There are, certainly, a lot hurdles. In fact, political parties have hurdles. Muslim-Muslim ticket is going to be a litmus test at the general elections.”

On Atiku Abubakar, he said “Nigeria needs an experienced politician. We don’t need a novice to be President. The situation in Nigeria today needs an experienced politician to solve it”.

On Tinubu’s claim that it is his turn to be president, Gumi said: “It is not proper for him to say it is his turn. No politician should say it is his turn; if people like you, they will vote for you. He is a good administrator; he can do it.

Speaking of chances the Labour Party presidential candidate, Obi has, the Islamic cleric said: “Youths are divided in their support for him just like the adults. He needs to reach out to other segments of society. Relying on youths is not enough. He has to be all over the place, and not leaving politics in one region.”

Gumi, therefore, warned that if an inexperienced politician were voted into office, he would find it difficult to assemble best brains to set the nation working progressively.

Sheikh Gumi noted that it took President Muhammadu Buhari over six months to appoint Ministers and government officials because he (Buhari) was an inexperienced politician.

“Nigeria is now in the 21st century, people are more educated now. What Nigeria needs now are people with competency. We should not be talking about the North because the North is no longer monolithic, we should not be talking about the Southwest because no particular person is in control, and we should not be talking about South East, look at how Senator Ifeanyi Uba was attacked by his own people.

“So, let’s talk about Nigeria as one united people. Nobody controls anybody in the country. So, let’s move forward. Look at America, nobody is talking about power rotation.  Let’s develop a democracy that we can sustain”, he added.

He said social injustice and poverty were responsible for insecurity in the country, adding that seven years into President Buhari’s government, almost every Nigerian is feeling the pains of socio-economic hardship in the country.