The All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed official unveiling of Senator Kashim Shetima as running mate to its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu for what it termed logistic reasons.
The former Bono governor who was formally announced by Tinubu as vice presidential candidate on July 10 in Daura, Katsina, was earlier scheduled to be presented to party members at the APC national Secretariat, yesterday.
But Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, told Daily Sun that the ceremony was put off till Wednesday next week due to the involvement of most members of the party’s leadership in tomorrow’s Osun State governorship election.
He explained that the event was not an unveiling but more of interactive meeting between the running mate and party’s national leadership to formally interact.
“I don’t know why people keep tagging it as unveiling. The event was meant to be an avenue for our party’s vice presidential candidate to meet with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and other national leadership of our party. The interaction is important because he has to come and thank the party for giving him the ticket.
“As for postponement, the notice of invitation for the event went out rather too late on Wednesday. We also noticed that many of our officials are involved in the preparation for the Osun State governorship election. Again, Shettima equally has his personal commitment too. Those are the reasons that we had to postpone the event. However, it will now hold on Wednesday next week,” he said.
Meanwhile, firework over the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket has continued with the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) knocking the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The umbrella Christian body had kicked as against one faith ticket.
However, Kaduna State Secretary of SCSN, AbdurRahman Hassan, in a chat with Daily Sun said recent comments by CAN was unhealthy and provocative.
“The Council is observing all the happenings regarding the Muslim-Muslim ticket of APC, most especially the unhealthy and provocative comments by CAN on the issue.
“We appreciate the right of each party to chose its flag bearer. This is democracy, you don’t expect the majority Muslim north to be neglected in the political equation of this country.
“We thought CAN would toe the line of Orji Uzo Kalu who reasoned with democratic finesse about the Muslim-Muslim ticket, instead of joining the bandwagon of religious fanaticism.
“Regarding some Muslim clerics who go against Muslim-Muslim ticket, they are entitled to their opinion, which can’t go down well with majority Muslim north.
“Sometimes, people forget history. In 1979, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe nominated Prof. Ishaya Audu (a Christian) as his running mate. No Muslim or Muslim group in Nigeria decried any foul play.
“Why the shouts now because of what the APC did? Let’s concentrate on choosing competent and trustworthy leaders instead of trivialising the issues at stake. Whoever decries a particular combination of candidates can simply go for another,” Hassan said.