2023: Nigeria’s Constitution not against Muslim/Muslim ticket – Gov Uzodinma

Amidst speculations on the potential Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the country’s Constitution does not recognise religion as a factor in the choice of a running mate.

Mr Uzodinma, who served as co-chairman of the recent APC Convention Committee, said the focus should be on uniting the country and providing good governance.

He stated this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the State House, after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Social media has been awash with speculations that the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, may pick a northern Muslim as his running mate.

The former Lagos State governor, who is a Muslim from the South-west zone, is expected to pick a running mate from any of the three zones in the north.

Most Christian politicians from the north are from minority ethnic groups.

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There are speculations that Mr Tinubu may opt for a Muslim running mate as the late Moshood Abiola did for the 1993 presidential election.

Mr Abiola, a Muslim from Ogun State in the South-west, had picked Babagana Kingibe, a Muslim from Borno State, as the vice-presidential candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Mr Abiola was already coasting home to victory in the election when the then Babangida administration annulled the election.

Mr Uzondinma said the candidate has the prerogative of picking a running mate.

“There is nowhere in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where religion is a factor or characteristic as to who becomes the President or who becomes the running mate.

“But we are looking for united Nigeria, where governance will be the issue, where a president would be judged by his capacity to deliver democratic dividends, develop Nigeria to look like other parts of the western world where democracy is working,” he said.

Mr Uzodinma added that Mr Tinubu must consider “local characteristics and every factor— political and apolitical that will make him win his election.”

He stressed the need for the candidate to consider spread, noting that winning the election is the most important thing.

Furthermore, Mr Uzodinma commented on the presidential aspiration of the South-east.

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