Babachir Lawal says if Tinubu goes for a Muslim/Muslim ticket, it will be dead on arrival to Christian northerners
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to banish the thought of a Muslim/Muslim ticket as his surest route to Aso Villa.
The APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emerged victorious on Wednesday in a contest that initially had 23 aspirants but later trimmed to 14 after nine others stepped down for him and the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
Tinubu is a Muslim from the South West who faces Vice President Atiku Abubakar, also a Muslim but from the North East in the presidential poll.
Analysts say Tinubu is in a dilemma because picking a Christian from the North will be a hard sell to the predominantly Muslim North.
But picking a Muslim as running mate will also be a hard sell to Christians nationwide.
READ ALSO
Without any arrests, evidence, FG blames ISWAP for Ondo Catholic Church attack
Atiku appears not to be in that kind of dilemma as he will likely pick a Christian vice presidential running mate from either the South-East or South-South.
For Babachir Lawal, speaking on the Channels Television Programme, Politics Today, a Muslim/Muslim ticket is a no-go-area given the fragility of the Nigerian state where mistrust exists between the two major religions.
He says if Tinubu picks a Muslim as his running mate, that ticket will be dead on arrival to Christian northerners.