From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Following the recent decision by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to field a Muslim as his running mate ahead of the 2023 general elections, a popular Northern Nigerian music artist Autan Zaki IkonAlla has said that the move is a major threat to peaceful coexistence as a country.
The multiple award-winning singer said that Tinubu and the APC party have shown poor judgement and total disregard to the diversity of the country.
The singer, activist and humanitarian, who has added his voice to the national political discourse, while interacting with reporters, frowned at the decision, adding that it is an insult to Christians and the Christendom in Nigeria for any political party to contemplate such an arrangement.
He also urged Nigerians to reject wholeheartedly any political party that will come up with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket and stressed that any Nigerian who fails to pay attention to religious sensitivities does not deserve the opportunity to rule the country.
Autan Zaki who also spoke on the recent killings and attacks on the Christians including the murder of Deborah Samuel over alleged blasphemy and the massacre of catholic church worshipers in Owo, Ondo state lamented that Christians are not second-class citizens but are Nigerians with the right to freedom of worship so long as it does not contravene the laws of the land.
He urged Christians to imbibe the spirit of love, togetherness, and oneness.
Autan Zaki is one of the strong voices from the Northern part of Nigeria with a large influence across both religions for his peculiar style of music and most importantly the courage and boldness to address issues concerning the land through singing and commentary.