By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The backlash of picking a fellow Muslim as his running-mate in the 2023 Presidential election seems not to be abating for the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a respected clergy has added his voice to the criticism that has trailed Tinubu’s choice.
The latest criticism is coming from Abraham Sam Aiyedogbon, Convener, Catalyst for Global Peace and Justice Initiative, who insists that the APC Presidential candidate has made a very big mistake by ignoring capable Christian Northern politicians in choosing his Vice Presidential candidate in the person of Senator Kashim Shettima, former Governor of Borno state.
Speaking on Arise News breakfast programme ‘The Morning Show’ monitored in Abuja on Tuesday, Sam Aiyedogbon who is also the Senior Apostolic Leader of the Realm of Glory International Churches with headquarters in Lagos, argued that Tinubu by his choice of a running mate has shown his preference for political expediency over the natural justice, equity and fairness.
Said he: “I am hugely disappointed in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. By his action he has shown that he does not care about the feelings of Christians not only in the North but in Nigeria. He has shown that his interest is to win election in disregard to the survival of the country “.
Speaking further, the fiery Preacher who is also a Rights advocate, Life Coach and a fiery teacher of the Word of God, disagreed with Tinubu that his choice of Shettima is because of his competence and reliability.
“I have to say it without any doubt that Tinubu’s choice of running-mate has many allegations on his head including the unsavoury comments he made in a leaked audio conversation circulating in the social media which I also have with me. When he was serving as a Borno state governor, under his watch a lot of insecurity festered including the kidnapping of Chibok Girls”, Sam Aiyedogbon alleged.
Asked if it is not true that Northern Nigeria has the highest voting population because of their numerical strength, he countered it, saying that those numbers have not been authenticated by any relevant federal government agency.
Said he: I make bold to say that from Pre-Independence to Post-independence , the whole numbers that come out of the Northern Nigeria are based on fallacy. Nobody has done accurate census of Nigerians.
“I have lived a long time in the Northern parts of Nigeria like Kano, Kaduna, Kogi and Katsina, doing missionary work around Daura, Dutsinma, Jibia, Maradi in Niger and I can testify that there are many Christian population in the North”, he submitted.
He said he left the North in 1990s and his faith will not allow him to lie about figures or exact numbers of Christian population in the Northern Nigeria.
Said he: “When Nigeria finally gets a responsible leader and government a proper National Census will be taken where Census Enumerators will not be prevented from entering inside people’s homes to count Human beings themselves because of religious beliefs”.
The outspoken cleric however warned that the Christian population in Nigeria especially in the core North will express their displeasure over the way they have been relegated to the background by the political parties who adopted the Muslim-Muslim Ticket.
Said he: Those who are gas-lighting us should as well read the Holy Bible in
Daniel 4:17. This should serve as a lesson to all”.
