By Ayodele Oni

The choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket for Nigeria by the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has been his life long desire.

This was disclosed by the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Answering questions from the Arise Television crew on Friday, Atiku disclosed that Tinubu’s desire for a Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket began in 2003. Atiku and Tinubu had co-founded the ACN when Atiku dumped the PDP after being President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Vice President for eight years under the Party.

Atiku said on becoming the Presidential candidate of the ACN, Tinubu demanded to be his running mate. But Atiku said he rejected him because the idea of such a ticket in a multi-religious country like Nigeria did not appeal to him, and still does not appeal to him. He said he had disagreed with Tinubu on the issue since 2007.

Atiku: “Remember I came out of the PDP on the issue of zoning and together with Asiwaju, we formed ACN and I was given a ticket in Lagos and he (Tinubu) insisted to be my running mate and I said no, I am not going to have a Muslim-Muslim ticket”

It will be recalled that in 2015, Tinubu also wanted a Muslim-Muslim ticket. He wanted to be President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate but was checkmated by a number of stakeholders in the Party then led by former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki. In his place, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN,  a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, was chosen as Buhari’s running mate. Since then, Tinubu’s relationship with Saraki has been less than cordial.

But he has had his way in 2022. After securing the APC Presidential ticket, he chose a Muslim from the North East, a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

Tinubu’s choice sparked off condemnation from a large number of Nigerians, especially, Christians in the North, and more especially, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. It also sparked a run on the APC as a number of people resigned from the Party over  it.

Tinubu said he chose Shettima because he wanted somebody competent, thus giving the impression that there is no competent Christian Northerner.

A couple of days ago when he unveiled Shettima as his running mate, some awkward looking fellows who dressed like Christian Priests trooped to the ocassion. They have since been disowned by CAN just as a number of them have been identified by those who know them as fake.

“My fundamental disagreement with Asiwaju since 2007 was on the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. That was my fundamental disagreement and departure politically from Asiwaju.

“Remember I came out of the PDP on the issue of zoning and together with Asiwaju, we formed ACN and I was given a ticket in Lagos and he (Tinubu) insisted to be my running mate and I said no, I am not going to have a Muslim-Muslim ticket,” Atiku said.

Atiku also reacted to the controversy surrounding the choice of his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and why he did not choose the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

It will be recalled that Atiku had after announcing Okowa as his running mate clarified that he picked the Delta governor because he had the qualities to be a President, adding that he “is a President-in-waiting.”

He said, “In arriving at the decision, I held wide consultations with various stakeholders in our party including our governors, the national working committee, board of trustees, and other leaders to seek their inputs and their wisdom.”

“In these consultations, I made clear that my running mate would have the potential to succeed me at a moment’s notice, that is, a president-in-waiting.

“In other words, the person must have the qualities to be President. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless All Progressives Congress government; understands the great suffering that most of our people are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering; understands the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide our young people with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth.”

Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had on June 29, 2022, during an interview on Arise TV, said Wike and others who backed him for the PDP vice-presidential ticket slot deserved a detailed explanation from the party’s presidential candidate on his choice of running mate.

Ortom said, “I am waiting for him (Atiku) because there are more things he is expected to do. I expected him to reach out to Wike who came second and he denied him the popular view of PDP members. 14 out of 17 members say that Wike should be the VP but in his wisdom, he chose Governor Okowa. Governor Okowa is a nice man and my friend and I have no problem with him.

“But if we are in a democratic era, and 14 people out of 17 said that it should be Wike, and he (Atiku) in his wisdom gave it to Okowa, I expect more explanation, I expect him to talk to Wike first, I expect him to even reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.

“But the bottom line for me is that I have gone into hibernation and I am praying and at the end, whatever God directs me, I can assure you that I will do it.”

But speaking on Arise TV today, Atiku said he chose who he felt could deliver among the nominees that were presented to him, adding that Wike was not rejected.

Atiku said, “I didn’t reject Wike, I picked who can deliver. Wike is brilliant and tenacious. Going by history, I had picked an Igbo as running mate in 2007, in 2019.  I still picked an Igbo for 2023.

“The committee that presented the three nominees was chaired by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. They recommended three people, so I picked one. People should be fair to me and state the facts.”

Speaking on resolving issues with Wike, Atiku said the party was talking to Wike.

“We are reaching out to Wike and talking to him, very soon, we will resolve our internal crises.

“I have contested this presidency a couple of times and I don’t try to blame anybody, I accept the outcome or go to court,” Atiku said.

On his incessant quest for the presidency, Atiku said he is driven by passion to serve the country.

“I’m driven by passion and desire to give back to this country, I’m driven by the passion to give back to this country because of what the country has done for me.

“With what I have been able to accomplish at my age, I don’t desire any other thing other than the passion to serve my country.”