From Fred Itua, Abuja
Supporters of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have warned the immediate-past speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, to stop overheating the polity over the party’s same-faith ticket.
The duo had vowed to mobilise against APC in the 2023 presidential election for fielding Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Despite their threats, they’re yet to defect to other political parties.
Speaking in Abuja at the launch of Asiwaju Trumpeters, a Tinubu support group, its Deputy National Coordinator, Lookman Alawaye, cautioned Lawal and Dogara against stoking the embers of hatred, animosity and bigotry.
He said: “We all know that what is most critical in Nigeria is religion and could easily be misused to trigger violence.
“We appeal to them to be calm and retrace their steps and see reason with us. In politics, no permanent friend and enemy. Sometimes, we are friends; other times, we are foes.”
Alawaye said while he aligned with those that had raised concern about the APC single-faith ticket, he said competence and capacity should not be sacrificed for religiosity.
He urged critics to look at the antecedents and capacity of APC presidential and vice presidential candidates, Tinubu and Kashim Shettima respectively, who he said, were not known be religious bigots.
“We should downgrade ethnicity and religion in politics, not completely eliminate them because people must have sense of belonging
“Religious and opinion leaders should be mindful of their comments so as not to overheat the polity because unguarded utterances could trigger violence as the country moves toward elections.
“The APC Muslim-Muslim ticket is not inimical to the growth of the economy, security and welfare of the citizens,” he said.
A member of the group’s National Executive Council, Adewumi Akinpelu, said Asiwaju Trumpeters was formed to mobilise support for Tinubu’s presidential bid and ensure that he emerges victorious in the 2023 elections.
He said the former Lagos State governor is physically and mentally fit to be president, urging the opposition to run an issue-based campaign.
“The politics around his health is part of campaign of calumny by the opposition. What the Nigeria needs now is how to address the challenges facing it,” he said.