The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday replied the national chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, saying that the Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket of the party in the 2023 election is not in the interest of the country as it will jeopardise peaceful co-existence.
The National Secretary of the Christian body, Bishop Cosmos Ilechukwu, told journalists at the end of its extraordinary joint meeting of its National Advisory Council and the National Executive Council in Lagos that some political parties chose to ignore the counsel of PFN that same faith ticket, be it Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim, will not augur well for the unity and future of Nigeria.
According to Bishop Ilechukwu, “the PFN noted that even in the face of the unprecedented level of disunity in the country, some of the political parties and politicians have acted in disregard of the fragility of the times we live in, made worse by the poor management of our fault lines, thus further polarising the country.”
While restating the non-partisan stance of PFN, he said the body will not endorse any candidate but will mobilise its members to vote in line with what is best for Nigeria and the church at all levels, with the framework prepared by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
He said PFN will continue to collaborate with like-mind organisations and individuals to ensure that the 2023 elections delivers a ticket that will further the unity of Nigeria.
The APC national chairman Adamu had said that the Muslim-Muslim ticket fielded by the party is the best winning formula and best option that Nigerians need at the moment.
Speaking with BBC Hausa service, Adamu also noted that the Muslim/Muslim is the best strategy for the APC to win the forthcoming general elections.
The APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had picked former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate.
The choice led to an outrage among some chieftains of the party and many Nigerians at large especially the Christian members of the party.
But according to Adamu: “You see, with the situation we are in the country, you can’t convince everybody. It’s democracy. Everyone has his right. But for us, same faith ticket is the best thing for Nigeria presently.
“But we will not relent. We will work to ensure we convince Nigerians to fully support this Tinubu/Shettima ticket. Every party has its strategy and this is our strategy that we think can best work for us.”
Adamu also said even security and economic challenges in the country, that won’t stop them from winning the election.
“Yes, there’s insecurity in the country and every country faces its own kind of insecurity. The media don’t publicise government efforts adequately,” he said.