Coalition to Shettima: Step down for a Christain VP for stability of Nigeria

The coalition of middle belt youth leaders says the Islamisation comment made by Kashim Shettima, vice president-elect, is an attempt to force lawmakers-elect to accept the nominations of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

BACKGROUND

Shettima had during a meeting with lawmakers-elect implored them to accept the zoning arrangement of the APC for the leadership of the 10th national assembly.

Last week, controversy ensued within APC after the party nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, and Abbas Tajudeen, a house of representatives member from Kaduna, for the national assembly leadership positions.

While Akpabio was nominated for president of the senate, Tajudeen was endorsed for the speaker of the house of representatives.

The party also nominated Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano north, as deputy senate president, and Benjamin Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia and current house spokesperson, as deputy speaker.

The nominations have been faulted by lawmakers within and outside the party.

Speaking during the meeting with lawmakers-elect, Shettima had said the APC sought to avoid a situation where all the top officials of the incoming administration would be of the same faith.

He said the circumstance could “validate the negative narrative of the Islamisation agenda of Nigeria”.

Shettima added that the leadership of the forthcoming national assembly must be inclusive because the “stability of the nation is much more important than any other consideration”.

Reacting to Shettima’s comment, Nasiru Jagaba leader of the coalition, while speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, said the former Borno governor “holds no moral jurisdiction to give that counsel”.

“This is a cunning way to attempt to hoodwink the elected lawmakers into accepting the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the 10th national assembly,” Jagaba said.

“We are surprised that Sen. Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from Borno who did not only lobby but accepted to be vice to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim from the south, could not advise his principal on the danger of running a same faith ticket in the executive arm of the nation’s government but suddenly found his voice against a same faith leadership in the nation’s legislative arm.

“We wonder, why Shettima did not remember or think about the stability of the country when Bola Tinubu picked him and ran on a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Where was this counselling ability when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was searching for a running mate? Why didn’t he decline his nomination as running mate to Asiwaju for the sake of the stability of the nation?

“Election of the leadership of the national assembly has never been about religion/faith, so, we employ Kashim Shettima and his core travellers to desist forthwith from the unhealthy incitement and allow elected lawmakers to choose their leaders.

“Shettima should note that he holds no moral justification to give that counsel even if it were to be the best counsel. Nigeria and Nigerians are calm and okay with how the elected members of the 10th national assembly are going on with their activities ahead of the elections of her leaders in accordance with the constitutional provisions and extant laws thereto.

“We believe that the best way Sen. Kashim Shettima can show that he is sensitive to the stability of this country and his sudden advocacy for Christianity is to humbly step down for a Christian Vice President as it is still not too late.”

The coalition called on lawmakers-elect to choose “leaders that will defend the interest of the majority of Nigerians, irrespective of their faith or ethnicity”.