>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was unnecessary because election has nothing to do with religion.
Gumi stated this while fielding questions from journalists at his Kaduna residence on the 2023 general elections.
He said Nigeria needs an experienced politician to succeed the President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, adding that citizens should do away with ethno-religious politics in the 21st century to build a united country.
While assessing the three leading presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu; and Labour Party, Peter Obi, the cleric said Nigeria does not need a novice as president, but an experienced politician.
Assessing Atiku for the 2023 presidency, Gumi argued that though the former Vice President might have contested several times, “Nigeria needs an experienced politician. We don’t need a novice to be President. The situation in Nigeria today needs an experienced politician to solve it.”
On Tinubu, he said, “It is not proper for him to say it is his turn. There is no question saying it is my turn. Don’t say it is my turn because if people like you, they will vote for you. He is a good administrator, he can do it.”
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket is unnecessary. We all know. All these politicians are looking for votes. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is not about religion.
“Whether it will work or not, I don’t want to prophesy, but there are a lot of hurdles. In fact, all the political parties have hurdles. Muslim-Muslim ticket is going to be a laboratory test for others to emulate or not,” he added.
On Obi, the cleric said: “Youths following him are divided like the adults. He needs to reach out to other segments of Nigerians. Relying on youths is not enough. He has to be all over the place, and not leaving politics to one region.”
Gumi also noted that Nigeria has gone beyond talking about North or South, adding that in America, “nobody is talking about power rotation.”