Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
The Asiwaju Ahmed Bola-Shettima presidential support group has said the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, will appoint Christians to key positions of authority in his cabinet, if elected Nigeria’s next president in 2023.
This was disclosed by the group’s Director-General, AIG Abdulsalami Iyaji (rtd) at a press briefing held in Abuja yesterday.
According to him, the move would allay the fears and douse tension raised in many quarters by those opposed to Tinubu’s choice of Senator Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, as running mate.
He said, “Nigerians should focus more on good governance than religion and ethnicity during the general elections. Does governance end with the President and Vice President?
“There are lots of offices in government, such that the totality of their influence determines how the president and his vice operate. However, it is unfortunate that down the line, Nigerians don’t see things that way.
“When Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima come on board, Christians will be prominent in virtually all areas of governance, and by so doing, the APC standard nearer will douse the fears and paranoia that has trailed the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“The conduct of Tinubu and Shettima will make the fears linked to the same faith ticket to become irrelevant such that in subsequent elections, religion will no longer be an issue. They will demonstrate what it takes to put aside religion and ethnicity as far as governance is concerned.”
Iyaji also said Nigeria’s growth had been severely hampered by inflation, insecurity, hunger, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, but assured that Tinubu will tackle these issues on a national scale they way he did during his stint as governor of Lagos from 1999-2007.
Consequently, he explained that the goal of the support group was to ensure the electorate had adequate information concerning the policy and aims of the APC and its presidential flagbearer before the 2023 elections.
