As the 2023 general elections are on top gear, Nigerians are getting set to go beyond political parties to decide who succeeds Mr President Muhammadu Buhari.
Be it known of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assurance for a free, fair and credible elections with the electoral laws signed by president Mohamadu Buhari, a group, APC Friends International, are not in doubt if the votes of Nigerians would count or not, in the coming elections.
Speaking with newsmen after a dinner meetings in Ikoyi Lagos State, the dinner host, Dr Ayo Babatunde lamented on the choice of a Muslim – Muslim ticket of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress.
Dr Ayo affirmed that giving a historic room for women in politics can sweep away any party to guarantee victory for the ruling all Progressive Congress (APC), as he said;
“In 2015 presidential elections, no one believed the PDP could vacate Aso Rock for an opposition party, APC. As Nigerians threw their heart to the ring to support Buhari emergence, it’s apt to say, whoever Nigerians would throw their weight on in this 2023 election would carry the day.
“Haven done much research on the impulse of Nigerians on the 2023 presidential elections, the possibility of what happened in France, where Emmanuel Macron won the two major political parties in 2017, seem to be building momentously in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.
“Going by the already published candidates for 2023 presidential election, it is obvious the ruling All Progressive Congress is faced with the choice of a Muslim – Muslim ticket, which the party chieftains think is the right way, to win the 2023 election.
“In sampled opinions from our research poll on Nigerians, locally and internationally, who are not party men but the voters, the APC stands the chance of vacating Aso Rock at the end of this fourth republic, if they go by this Muslim – Muslim ticket bid.
“However, with the room for substitutions, two things can rejuvenate their stay in Aso Rock, the party either have to change their presidential candidate to a southeasterner or do the needful by avoiding a Muslim – Muslim ticket that would plunge the party into her failure.
“The 2023 general elections is not going to be decided by the Northerners as it used to be. There’s a twist and this twist is coming on religious background. The 2023 general elections is now, as sampled, going to be typically religious and competence of candidates.
“The All Progressive Congress has the competence in her presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, but could be ruined by the choice of his running mate, for a Muslim – Muslim ticket. The solution is simple, the All Progressive Congress as a party, should look for a viable substitution of a female vice president from the North to balance and step up their game.
“Nigeria has little or no history for women in politics. 2023 is no doubt a historic political year for Nigerians. Every Nigerian woman would fall in, with sound and vigorous campaigns, if they’re represented at the center, with such slots from the ruling All Progressive Congress. We have seen state governors win elections in Nigeria having women as running mates. This expo seem useless but definitely, it’s a way forward for the APC, if they want to remain in Aso Rock”.
Speaking futher, Dr Ayo stressed that the general overseers of large congregation are already taking it a role to campaign against the move by the APC’s choice of a Muslim – Muslim ticket. He said that any neglect by the All Progressive Congress, Mr President Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu on this issue could smell doom for the party in the 2023 election as he said.
“The campaigns are on, pastors of churches with large congregation are canvasing against Muslim – Muslim ticket, asking, where lies the fate of Christians in the scheme of Nigeria politics? Some politicians still believed 2023 would be business as usual, still pushing for Muslim – Muslim ticket. Wrong they are, for such calculation is not sellable in our present Nigeria system.
“It happened in 1993 for MKO Abiola where Muslim – Muslim ticket was a success. But then, the country was even more united, moreover, that was then!
“The impulse of Nigerians can not at this time be overlooked. During the campaigns for president Buhari, the psychology of making Nigeria an Islamic country was invoked, these are opinion from the street, the people may be right or wrong, nevertheless, the actions of the APC to run a Muslim – Muslim ticket in 2023 could be confirmation of this psychological notions of most Nigeria Christians, which would work against the All Progressive Congress in the 2023 presidential election.
“Today, a pure Muslim would rather want a pure Muslim from the core North to be president instead of settling for a pure Muslim Vice. This game changes at the point of voting. A simple instructions from religious leaders from the North, would make or Mar the All Progressive Congress against the push of the Northern governors.
“A Chatholic priest said, ‘if they can’t respect you now that they’re choosing their candidates, they won’t respect you when you vote them into office ‘.
“Our intension is for the APC to remain in power at the center, we can only advice, we can’t do more than our stands can go. However, if the APC relent in this changes, they are sure of just having the majority in the National Assembly, as it was for France in 2017”. He concluded.
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