Federal Minister in the All Progressive Congress, APC, administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo, has stated that the religious leaders against the party’s choice of Muslim-Muslim tickets come 2023 general election, have been against the ruling party since 2015.
Newsonline reports that Keyamo, who is the Minister of State for Labour and Employment said the same religious leaders were against the ruling APC even with a pastor as the vice president of President Buhari.
Festus Keyamo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said the kicking against APC choice of Bola Tinubu, a Muslim, and Kashim Shettim, a Muslim, as presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively, by the same religious leaders show their dislike for the ruling APC.
Keyamo said, “Since 2015 when APC won, certain religious leaders have consistently campaigned against the APC-led govt, even with a Christian and Pastor as Vice-President; yet they now pretend that it is the choice of a Muslim Vice-Presidential candidate that is offensive to them; no, it is not.”
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The Senior Advocate said, some of the religious leaders also arrogate themselves the right to dictate their followers who to vote in election based on their biases.
“Some people just arrogate to themselves the right to decide for a religious sect who they should vote for or not, as if adherents of these faiths go to churches and mosques to seek for political directions and not to worship God; they project their own biases as directives from God.”
Festus Keyamo had since the announcement of Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, as running mate of Tinubu defended the decision of the ruling party, despite criticisms from within and outside the party.
In July 14, Keyamo said, “Our nation is not divided by religion or ethnicity. It is divided into the ruling class and the hapless masses who the ruling class continuously manipulate by sentiments of religion and tribe so that the masses will not wake up to interrogate their real capacities for public office.”
