Addressing a press conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Monday, the Council expressed disappointment in the choice of a Muslim-Muslim pairing ticket by the APC flagbearer for the 2023 election.
The Chairman, Church Leaders and Ministers Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Abel Aiyedogbon, was speaking at a press conference to herald their 26th annual conference.
He said, “Our political leaders are not sensitive to the feelings of the citizens of the country because the behaviour of the political class most of the time evidently shows that personal ambition and interest are the overriding goal and not patriotism.
“How will anybody think about fielding candidates of the same religion for the first and the second place when the constitution of the country recognises secularity?
“One will not be wrong to say that trampling on the religious rights of Nigerian is manifest in the idea of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, which some people are now championing. It should be noted that people maligned and presented as inconsequential are not likely to forget.
“The suggestion of a Muslim-Muslim ticket is all about impunity and a callous lack of consideration for others.
“It is a form of religious intolerance to even contemplate either a Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket.
“Any party that thinks or believes that the Christian population can be ignored without consequences will be doing so to her peril. One may ask; As the case presents, does it mean that the Northern Christians have no electoral value?
“Contrary to the perception of some political leaders who believe that religion will not be a factor in the choice of presidential running mate, we hasten to warn that any party that underrates our electoral value will be doing so to her disadvantage.
“The political class can decide to field whosoever they like just as much as we have our right to vote for the candidate of our choice.”
He, however, stated that the churches and Christian body will play a key role in the 2023 elections.
“We are assuring you that the Church and Christian organisations will play a more significant role in the current dispensation than before and we shall deploy our strategy when the time comes,” Aiyedogbon stated.
