APC will not field same-faith presidential ticket in 2023- Omo-Agege

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will continue to respect religious diversities by balancing its presidential ticket among major faiths in Nigeria, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has assured.

He spoke on Thursday in Abuja when he hosted members of the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) led by its President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle.

Omo-Agege harped on the need for peaceful co-existence among the various religious bodies in the country.

Responding to a call by the CAN President opposing all-Muslim, all-Christian presidential ticket in the 2023 presidential election, Senator Omo-Agege stressed that the APC has always been mindful of that in its choice of candidates for elective and appointive positions.

Omo-Agege, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga in Abuja, buttressed his argument with the 2015 APC primaries where the party averted a Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket.

Omo-Agege said: “On the issue of balancing in the presidential tickets of political parties, it is commendable but while I am the Deputy President of the Senate, I am also of a political party extraction which is the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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“What that means in effect is I am not in a position to influence the thinking of other parties but at least, within our own APC, that is a position we have always respected and I believe we will continue to respect. In all that we do, we take that into account that we have two major faiths.

“That will continue to be our guiding principle as we move to 2023 not just in identifying and picking presidential and vice presidential candidates but also here in the National Assembly.

“But I will appreciate if the same message is passed on to other political parties. For us, the message has been well received but it’s like you are preaching to the converted”.

Ayokunle cautioned politicians against heating up the polity with unguarded utterances.

The cleric also kicked against the idea of Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian presidential candidates and running mates ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

“Concerning the 2023 elections, we would admonish you politicians not to heat up the polity in any way as the campaigns are opened by guarding your utterances. There is already tension in the land because of insecurity.

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“We equally want to urge you on presidency that a balance of both religious practitioners be considered. We don’t want a Christian/Christian ticket or Muslim/Muslim ticket.

“We want a situation that would produce a pair of the two religions in other to douse religious tension. Though people say religion does not matter but in Nigeria and here in Africa, religion is part of our identity.

“To say that religion does not matter is to underrate what can tear the nation apart if it is not carefully handled.”