VON DG: Tinubu, Shettima are moderate Muslims — it’s an excellent ticket

Osita Okechukwu, director-general, Voice of Nigeria (VON), has backed the decision of Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, to pick Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

Tinubu and the former governor of Borno state are both Muslims, representing the first Muslim-Muslim ticket of a major political party since the 1993 presidential election.

Reacting to the development on Sunday, Okechukwu described the duo as an “excellent ticket”, noting that they are both moderate Muslims.

“On the choice of Distinguished Sen. Kashim Shettima as Vice Presidential Candidate; methinks it is an excellent joint ticket,” the VON DG said in a statement.

“An excellent joint ticket because Shettima is a transparent man of action and capable as Asiwaju pointed out.

“He did well as governor of Borno and did a good pick as a successor in the person of Prof. Umara Zulum.

“On the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket, as a Christian one would have preferred Muslim-Christian ticket; however there was the likely input of Northern Governors
who are staunch supporters of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“And as a veteran politician, Asiwaju must have weighed all the options among which is competence, capability and reliability and sterling qualities must have guided his choice.

“The good news is that both are moderate Muslims, not ultra Muslims.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had led the pushback against a Muslim-Muslim ticket in any political party ahead of the 2023 presidential election.