Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, the presidential candidate has the backing of pastors in Abuja, the nation’s capital to contest next year’s presidential election.
Tinubu, a former Lagos state governor and APC National Leader has received a backlash from not a few Nigerians, particularly Christians who criticized him for choosing a fellow Muslim, former Governor Kassim Shetima of Borno state as his running mate.
A load of criticism on the APC presidential candidate has come from the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN which accused Tinubu of trying to polarize the country along religious lines by picking Shetima to run with him in 2023.
Just last week, a coalition of Christian groups in Northern Nigeria, said they will punish the ruling party for trying to marginalize Christians in the country.
The former Lagos governor has defended his action on the basis that he needs to win the election, and that Shetima is the only politician that can help him actualize his ambition to succeed the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari as commander-in-chief.
The decision by Abuja pastors to back Tinubu, some said, is a boost for his candidacy amidst pressure to drop Shitima.
According to a statement jointly signed on Sunday by Apostle Babatunde Oguntimehin, and Revd. Friday Obi, national president, and secretary, respectively the Abuja cleric said they threw their weight behind the Tinubu/ Shetima ticket because they believe in their capacity to rule the country.
The pastors under the aegis of the Nigerian Coalition for Pastors said it would be wrong to condemn the APC Muslim/Muslim, what is key they said is the ability to provide good leadership.
They advised Nigerians to jettison ethnicity, and religion when electing a new president next year, saying Tinubu will “ leave Nigeria a better country.”
The clerics said in the statement: “After consideration of so many critical factors and wide consultation, we have decided to settle for the candidacy of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.
“Asiwaju has shown us that he has the capacity to do the job, especially with what he has done as governor in Lagos. We are hopeful he has the experience to leave Nigeria a better country for our children.
“We have since noted that making religion or faith the top factor in choosing a candidate for the nation has never helped and will never help this nation. We cannot, therefore, sacrifice quality leadership on the altar of religion or tribe.”
