SIR: Since the All Progressive Congress’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, announced former Borno State Governor, Ibrahim Shettima as his running mate for the 2023 election, the issue of religion has again been on the front-burner. Everybody has jumped on the debate of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, without querying their credentials and performances as Nigerians who have held political offices.
The issue of religious beliefs has taken up so much point in our political conversations instead of issues that could bring about good governance, security, a vibrant economy, and the building egalitarian society. The citizenry is prevented from assessing candidates on their merits, instead of the religious spectrum.
However, there is no market in Nigeria where different religious adherents pay different prices; or roads built specifically for Christians or Muslims. Do kidnappers ask about the religion of their victims? The only people that religion has benefited are the politicians who use it when needed and religious leaders who join and encourage segregation because of interests that are far from altruistic.
Politicians, sadly, have over the years exploited our religion and ethnic divides, when it benefited them. Religious organizations and leaders also take advantage of their followers, helping them to neglect the credentials of candidates, and instead focus on their religious background. If it is not Muslim/Muslim, it is Anglican/Anglican, Catholic/Pentecostal, and other Christian sects, or Sunni/Shi’ite and others within the Muslim community.
Nigeria has consistently been bedevilled by the dearth of good and purposeful leadership, and that should be our focus, not confining ourselves to tribal, ethnic, and religious sides of the divide. Nigeria might be a secular state, with Christians and Muslims in the majority, yet has those who subscribe to less popular faiths and traditional beliefs? Are they second-class citizens or not qualified to aspire to lead? Should everything be centred on Christian and Islamic religions, when debating justice, fairness, and equality?
For APC’s Tinubu, like other candidates, the issue at stake should be his vision for Nigeria. He cannot actualise his lofty ideas without calculating how to get votes to win the election. This comes with loads of political calculations, permutations, expectations, and tough choices. PDP’s Atiku Abubakar chose Ifeanyi Okowa, and he has to deal with the backlash, but breaking the unwritten power rotation agreement has not generated as much fuss as Tinubu’s Muslim/Muslim ruckus.
The run-up to the 2023 general elections has no doubt triggered awareness and desire of the people, especially an unprecedented agitation by the youth to participate. There are other political parties springing up to challenge the status quo of the two main political parties. No doubt, this signals a positive shift for the country, as it would be hard-fought battle to the last vote.
One genuine and fundamental question we should ask ourselves as a people is, “Has ethnicity and religion helped in creating good governance, reducing poverty, developing a viable economy, improved education, building better infrastructure, and creating peace and security in Nigeria?” What has religion, ethnicity, and other dichotomies brought to the poor man, who daily desires good food on the table, a good education for their children, affordable housing, basic social amenities, and an atmosphere conducive for them?
Those protesting BAT’s Muslim – Muslim ticket is within their rights to do so, but Nigerians must be mindful of heating up an already tense polity and creating wounds that would take longer than the four-year tenure of any government to heal. The use of threats is ungodly, counterproductive, and unnecessary. The energy should be directed at demanding qualitative leadership.
Tinubu, a technocrat, adroit political strategist, and administrator, I am sure, is not oblivious of the concern of the people. He took every factor into consideration before making his decision, and he is convinced that his record and that of Shettima’s speak for themselves. The hoopla over his choice, mainly by his opponents, indicates fear and not about Nigeria. The combination is the one to beat in the 2023 presidential elections.
Nevertheless, the political space is now wider with more parties to choose from, aside from the two major political persuasions, APC and PDP. I urge the electorate to pick who best fits their bills from the wide range. Still, religion should not be their consideration, because ultimately, people should view their religion as a matter of conscience.
Finally, the outcome of this election should not be defined by political parties, religion, tribes, or ethnicity, but rather on abilities, capacity, track record, and vision that can set the country on the route Eldorado.
- Lanre Atere,
United Kingdom.