Shettima argued Tinubu is trying to prevent having only Muslims as President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker
By Kehinde Okeowo
Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima has justified the decision of his principal and President-elect, Bola Tinubu to pick Godswill Akpabio as his preferred candidate for the position of senate president.
According to the former governor of Borno State, the incoming president took the decision to avoid the “negative narrative of Islamization”.
Shettima made this known on Friday during a meeting with some of the lawmakers who were endorsed by the ruling party, the All Progressives Party (APC) and the President-elect.
While Akpabio from South-south and Barau Jibrin from North-west are Tinubu’s preferred candidates for senate president and deputy senate president respectively. Tajudeen Abbas from North-west and Ben Kalu from the South-east are his favourites for the speakership and deputy speakership positions too.
ALSO READ: Court hears suit seeking halt of Tinubu’s inauguration
His decision has, however, been criticised and opposed by other lawmakers, some of whom are members of his political party.
These senators and House of Representative members have expressed their readiness to go against the will of the party and are poised for a showdown.
Appealing to the aggrieved lawmakers, the incoming Vice President argued that Tinubu is only trying to prevent a situation where the President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives would all be Muslims.
Explaining the rationale for the zoning arrangement, Mr Shettima said “What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen and the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will validate the negative narrative of the Islamization of Nigeria.
“That is why my principal, a fair-minded individual, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insists the number three citizen must come from the South-south (Christian). The stability of the nation is more important than any other consideration. We are talking about inclusivity,” he said.
Shettima during the speech, did not explain why other APC ranking senators, such as Mr Orji Kalu and Osita Izunaso, who are also Christians were not considered despite seeking the position of senate president.
