Asuwaju Bola Tinibu, presidential candidate of the ruling All progressives congress (APC), has defended his choice of senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tunibu, presidential candidate of the Running All progressives congress (APC), has defended his choice of senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate, explaining that he could not choose Christian and a Muslim at the same time.
Prior to the unveiling of Shettima, the policy was heated up over single-faith ticket.
While the Christian association of Nigeria (CAN) rejected the idea and warned parties against it, some stakeholders asked Nigerians to focus more on competence than sentiment.
Speaking on settling for Shettima, Tinibu said all his life, decision regarding the team around and supporting him had always been guided by the principles of competence, innovation, compassion, integrity, fairness and adherence to excellence.
He said he consulted widely on the issue of running mate and appreciated the perspective of leading members of the party, political allies and key national figures "who see Nigerian's future as i do."
Tinibu specifically said the belief in prioritizing, leadership, competence and the ability to work as a team over other considerations influenced his running mate Choice.
" I am mindful of the energetic discourse concerning the possible religion of my running mate. Just and noble people have talked to me about this. Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to pleased the Christian community. Other have said i should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly i can not do both."
" Both sides of the debate have impressive reason and passionate arguments supporting their position. Both arguments are right in their own way. But neither is right in the way that Nigeria needs at this moment. As president, I hope to govern this nation toward uncommon progress, this will require innovation. It will require step never before taken. It will also require decision that are politically difficult and rare.
" if I'm to be that type of president, i most begin by being that type of candidate. Let me make the bold and innovative decision not to win political points but to move the nation and our party's campaign closer to the greatness that we were meant to achieve.
" Here is where politics end, and true leadership must begin. Today, I announce my selection with pride because i have made it not based on religion or to pleased one community or the other. I made this choice because I believe this is the man who can help me bring the best governance to all Nigerians, period, regardless of their religious affiliation or considerations of ethnicity or region."
To those who might feel displeased by his actions, Tinibu said, " May i say this to all of you, especially to those who will be disappointed in my selection based on religious considerations, I will not ans cannot ignore the religious concerns and ethic sensitivities of our people. Taking them into due consideration is an important part of good and able governance. But releigion, ethnicity and region can not always and fully determine our path. To forge ahead as a nation toward development and prosperity, we must break free of old binds. We must recalibrate our political calculations to where competence and fairness matter more than reductive demographics."
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