Abbo said Tinubu’s preference for Muslim-Muslim ticket was irresponsible, insensitive to the unity of Nigeria, which should come first over political survival
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is facing a hard time over the choice of a fellow Muslim, Kashim Shettima, as running mate for his presidential quest.
Adamawa senator, Elisha Abbo, joined other members of the APC, including Borno-born lawyer, a Christian, Daniel Bwala, Nollywood veteran cum politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, and Rivers State politician and a chieftain of the APC, Tonye Princewill in rejecting the choice of the former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, as running mate for the APC presidential candidate.
Abbo is a Christian from Adamawa State, and a member of the APC, but said his conscience would not allow him campaign for Tinubu, hence his decision to withdraw from the campaign.
Abbo, in a statement on Monday, said the choice of Shettima, a Muslim just as Tinubu, is “irresponsible.”
Abbo said the APC presidential candidate discarded a report submitted to him on a possible Christian running mate.
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The lawmaker, who is infamous for assaulting a woman in a toy shop, said Tinubu prioritised political survival over stability and peace of the country.
“It is very irresponsible of Tinubu to take his political survival over the stability and peace of Nigeria.
“For Tinubu now to be given the ticket and turn around to do what he couldn’t achieve in 2015 despite opposition from Catholics and other Christian leaders is extremely irresponsible.
“We sat down in Abuja and strategised, and we concluded that he should not take a Muslim as running mate. He (Tinubu) threw away the report,” he said.
Abbo added that as a member of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), he is of the opinion that a government of same faith is “illegitimate”.
“My conscience will not allow me to campaign for Tinubu. I am a member of CAN; I cannot deny CAN. I remain in APC. But I will take the survival of my country first over political considerations.
“We cannot work for such a man. I will oppose Christian-Christian ticket because I am invested in the stability of this country. A Christian-Christian ticket will be insensitive to Muslims of this country. The country is evenly divided among Muslims and Christians. So any government that is Muslim-Muslim will be illegitimate and will never gain the respect of Christians,” Abbo