Muslim-Muslim ticket: APC Chieftain chastises El-Rufai Over Comment

Jonathan Vatsa, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, has chastised Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State, for his recent statement that a Muslim-Muslim ticket [ presidential ] will not be a problem in the 2023 election.

“El-Rufai is playing with fire,” Vatsa said.

“He knows that such arrangement will not only spell doom for the party, but such experiment cannot work in the presidential election in 2023.”

It should be noted that the race to be Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election has heated up.

In a statement issued in Minna on Saturday titled “the Christians are awake and alive in Nigeria ahead of 2023 general elections,” the former Publicity Secretary of the APC in Niger State advised Bola Tinubu to disregard Governor El-remark, Rufai’s stating that no Christian in Nigeria can vote for Tinubu if he goes ahead with a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“Kaduna state is smaller than Nigeria, if El-Rufai succeeded in Kaduna with a Muslim-Muslim ticket because he made sure the Christian communities in Southern Kaduna did not come out to vote in 2019 general elections to show their anger, such experiment cannot work in the presidential election in 2023,” he says.

“That those scheming for Vice President position like El-Rufai are the ones advocating for a Muslim-Muslim ticket because of their unrealizable ambition even when they know fully that it is not absolutely possible,” the former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism said, referring to the Kaduna state Governor.

“This country called Nigeria has grown beyond what people like El-Rufai think. Governor El-Rufai is the most unqualified candidate as running mate to Bola Tinubu.

“El-Rufai’s statement is capable of igniting religious crisis in the country, he failed woefully to govern Kaduna state, and turned the state into a killer field and now he wants to be Vice President.

“The entire Christian communities in Southern Kaduna came under attack few weeks to the 2019 general elections just because they don’t want the people to come out and vote and speak through the ballot box. It was an evil plot against the people and the whole world knew it.

“Our National Leader and Presidential flag bearer, Bola Tinubu is more intelligent than him, he is politically wiser than El-Rufai, he knows everybody’s antecedent and so, he cannot be deceived.”

“Tinubu knows that Muslim-Muslim ticket will spell doom for him and APC in 2023,” Vatsa added.

He reminded El-Rufai that today’s politicians, including himself, have made religion the most important factor in all they do.

“I can recall how Governor El-Rufai declared every Friday as public holiday in the state because of his religious bigotry.

“I wonder why such a person should tell Nigerians not to lay emphasis on religion.

“Now that El-Rufai is looking for Vice President, he wants Nigerians to put religious consideration in our dealings behind, when every form you fill in Nigeria today, they will ask you of your religion,” he says.

He insisted that the governor not bring up the topic of competence since competent persons may be found in all religions in Nigeria, including among idol worshipers, who can be Vice President.

“There are very intelligent, more competent and highly respected Christians in the north that can be Vice President to Tinubu. Those who have turned their state to war zone should not dream of becoming Vice President of this country,” Vatsa stated.

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