Give 2023 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, Muslim Group has urged Buhari and APC ahead of party’s primary election.
Newsonline reports that a Religious-political group, Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress to give their presidential ticket a Southern Muslim in the spirit of fair play.
This online newspaper understands that the Acting President of the scholars, Sheikh AbdulRasheed Mayaleke, who made the call at a news conference in Abuja, said Muslims from the Southern part of the country, have been marginalized in the power equation of the country.
Newsonline reported that the former Lagos State governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba Muslim, is one of the presidential aspirants of the ruling APC.
Growing calls have been mounted on the All Progressive Congress to consider electing a Southerner as its presidential candidate in its coming primary election.
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Sheikh AbdulRasheed Mayaleke who cited a reported agreement the ruling APC had in 2015 to hand over power to a Southerner, Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria said, “We are of the strong opinion that no individual personal interests should be allowed to disrupt this arrangement which is capable of heating up the polity.
“The assumption and attempt to permanently disenfranchise the southern Muslims the opportunity to aspire for highest position of President or Vice President of the country is undemocratic.
“It is against this backdrop that we urge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to choose a Southerner, and this time around, a Muslim, as its presidential candidate.
“Moreso, that there is underlying agreement at the inception of the party’s formation in 2015.”
“It should be recalled that Christian – Christian ticket ruled the South west in the first republic with Chief Obefemi Awolowo as Premier while Chief Samuel Akintola was his Vice despite Muslims being the majority.
“Also, when Gen. Yakubu Gowon became the Military Head of State, he chose Awolowo as De facto deputy.
“Why is it that each time a Muslim candidate is poised to emerge as president or vice that the polity is always unnecessarily heated up to favour Christians in the Southwest.
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The group convener Sheikh AbdulRasheed Mayaleke, recalled how power rotation in the Yoruba region from the time of Obafemi Awolowo did not take the Yoruba Muslims into factor.
“It should be recalled that Christian – Christian ticket ruled the South west in the first republic with Chief Obefemi Awolowo as Premier while Chief Samuel Akintola was his Vice despite Muslims being the majority.
“Also, when Gen. Yakubu Gowon became the Military Head of State, he chose Awolowo as De facto deputy.
‘Why is it that each time a Muslim candidate is poised to emerge as president or vice that the polity is always unnecessarily heated up to favour Christians in the Southwest.
“This is the fate that befell Late Chief Mashood Abiola to favour Chief Ernest Shonekan and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Asiwaju Tinubu to favour Prof. Osinbajo in 2015.”
Sheikh AbdulRasheed Mayaleke maintained that it is in the interest of democracy that the All Progressive Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari elect a Yoruba Muslim as the presidential flag bearer of the party for the 2023 general election.
