Friends Criticizing Me Wanted Vice-President Slot – Tinubu

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Thursday, November 17th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, stated that those criticising him concerning his choice of Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the 2023 polls had met him for the position.

He stated that most of them were close to him and they had indicated interest to become his running mate, a move he said he bluntly turned down.

Tinubu made this known in an interactive session with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Abuja, led by Archbishop Daniel Ukoh.

It could be recalled that the APC standard bearer’s choice of Shettima, a fellow Muslim had sparked reactions and criticisms from many Nigerians, including the leadership of CAN.

Addressing Christian leaders at the Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, the former Lagos State governor refuted claims that he planned to Islamise Nigeria with his choice of Shettima as the Vice-Presidential candidate.

He said, “People have reacted harshly to my selection. They are because they are my friends, they lobbied me and wanted to be my running mate but I bluntly rejected them. The rumour that this is some plot to suppress the Christian community is untrue and unfortunate. I don’t have that kind of agenda. The bucks stop on my table, not on the vice- president’s table unless so delegated. He cannot even forgive convicted inmates if I don’t delegate the power to him. What is the vice-president?

‘’I can no more suppress the Christians of this nation than I can suppress the Christians in my own household, my very family. I dare not contest the presidential position in my house because I will lose, they are all Christians. If I did not Islamise my family, I cannot Islamise Nigeria. It is awful to hear such allegations. We cannot make progress if we continue to follow that path in the country. Religions will not help us. It won’t do any good to us.”