Tinubu/Shettima: ‘Muslim-Muslim Ticket Gross Violation Of Nigeria’s Constitution’

A renowned Muslim scholar in Kaduna State and former Adviser on Islamic and Hajj Affairs to late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, Sheikh Haliru Maraya has rejected the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a southern Muslim, had picked Senator Kashim Shettima, a northern Muslim, as his running mate.

Speaking to Vanguard, Sheikh Haliru Maraya said the fielding of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC is a violation of Nigeria’s constitution.

He said it is unfair to other religions for Muslims in APC to produce national chairman, deputy national chairman, presidential candidate, vice-presidential candidate, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, among others.

He said: “I still stand on what I said earlier on the issue of same-faith ticket. I still abhor Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket or Jew-Jew ticket because it is a gross violation of Section 14, sub-Section 3 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution of 1999 as amended, which talks of federal character, with a view to achieving national unity.

“As a Muslim, I will not like to be subjected to any form of injustice, hence I don’t like people who practice the same faith with me to subject others who are non-Muslims to any form of injustice.

“Having the national chairman of a political party   as a Muslim; deputy national chairman, a Muslim; the presidential candidate of that party also a Muslim; his running mate now, a Muslim; the President of the country who happens to be from that political party, a Muslim; the Senate President who is also a member of that party currently, a Muslim; Speaker of the House of Representatives who is also of that party extraction, a Muslim, is an apparent gross injustice against those who are non-Muslims.

“Therefore, I still maintain my position and I said it because I thought it was going to be of help in terms of unifying the citizens of this country, because currently, what we need in Nigeria is unity. This is because we’ve been polarised along many lines, including religious line.”