The former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, has said that he has no time to fight traditionalists or bother himself about Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election as he sees nothing wrong with having a President and Vice President belonging to the same religion, NjenjeMediaNews reports.
Rather than worry about Muslim-Muslim ticket, the former governor appealed to Nigerians to embark on prayers for the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, so he would not be treated like late MKO Abiola. n
In the 1993 presidential election in Nigeria, Abiola, a Southwestern Muslim, who contested for president with a northern Muslim, Baba Gana Kingibe, as his running mate, won the election but died in prison in 1998 without getting to the Presidential Villa as the election was annulled by the military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida.
Speaking at his home country in Bodija in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, shortly after this year’s Ed-el-Kabir prayers, Ladoja maintained that Muslim-Muslim ticket is not his problem and should not be an impediment to electing leaders in the country.
According to him, sentiment over same religion ticket does not make sense because Ismail and Isaac who are the originators of Muslim and Christianity were siblings but it is only politicians who cause crisis with such tickets.
Ladoja said what matters to him is how Tinubu would be treated if he eventually wins the presidency, Daily Trust reports.
The ex-governor said, “There are many factors involved in electing a president. Whoever wants to be president and those working for him have to work very hard. In fact, they will need more prayers as they are consulting. With all these efforts, God has the final say on who becomes president. Chief MKO Abiola who was a Muslim was elected along with his vice, also a Muslim.
“We only pray that if Tinubu wins, it will not turn out like that of the late MKO Abiola. I don’t see anything wrong with a Muslim-Muslim ticket because I don’t intervene in religious matters. Muslims and Christians are from the same father. Some people are following Ismail while some are following Isaac, who are siblings. So, what is now my own to be fighting for one among them? I don’t have time to fight with traditionalists.
“It is only God that knows his servants, so why must we fight over religion? All religions, including traditional religion, preach love and good character. It is only politicians that usually cause crisis with religion.”