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Former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari in an interview with THE CABLE said that religion will not be an important factor when he had to pick a running mate for the 2015 elections. Buhari said he'll be comfortable picking either a Christian or a Muslim.
Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state, says he is keeping an open mind about the possibility of picking a Muslim as his running mate if he gets the presidential nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket is seen as a potential setback for the APC in the election because of the increasingly political nature of religion in recent years.
Buhari, in particular, is perceived as an extremist and his likely combination with another Muslim for the presidential election is considered in some quarters as too sensitive. But in an interview with TheCable, Buhari, a retired major-general, said he had demonstrated to Nigerians that he is not a fundamentalist and “there is nothing more I can do”.
He said: “Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings [over the issue of religion]. “In 2003, I chose Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Pastor Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?”
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SOURCE: #TheCable
#Buhari #APC #Bakare #Okadigbo
Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state, says he is keeping an open mind about the possibility of picking a Muslim as his running mate if he gets the presidential nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket is seen as a potential setback for the APC in the election because of the increasingly political nature of religion in recent years.
Buhari, in particular, is perceived as an extremist and his likely combination with another Muslim for the presidential election is considered in some quarters as too sensitive. But in an interview with TheCable, Buhari, a retired major-general, said he had demonstrated to Nigerians that he is not a fundamentalist and “there is nothing more I can do”.
He said: “Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings [over the issue of religion]. “In 2003, I chose Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Pastor Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?”
Click here to read more
SOURCE: #TheCable
#Buhari #APC #Bakare #Okadigbo