*Senator Abbo dumps Tinubu Support Organization

*Northern APC group reject decision

Amidst discordant voices, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may deepen its reconciliation moves to stop the rave of defection and resignations that have greeted the party’s Muslim – Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

It would be recalled that the APC National Chairman, Sen. Adamu Abdulahi, had earlier visited and pleaded with aggrieved members of the party at the National Assembly to halt planned defections, following the crisis that trailed the conduct of the party’s primaries.

Abdulahi’s plea was followed by the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, who met with the over 22 aggrieved senators at the Presidential Villa, where he pleaded with them to remain with the party as their grievances will be addressed.

Buhari reminded them that their planned defection would push the APC to opposition in the senate, and begged them not to allow that happen.

Though the plea by both President Buhari and Adamu may have halted the planned mass defection, it could not prevent the infuriated ones to leave the party, as the former Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Abdulahi, as well as the former Governor of Kebbi state, Sen. Adamu Aliero, bluffed the President and defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While the party struggles to avert these defection, last Sunday’s announcement of former Governor of Borno State as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 election, sparked off more controversies in the party, leading to high resignation, amid protest of the decision.

Tinubu, a Muslim from the South West, had on Sunday announce his choice of Shettima, a fellow Muslim from North east as running mate fr the 2023 presidential elections.

The decision, which was however welcomed by some stakeholders of the party, has triggered condemnations and criticisms among other party stakeholders.

A chieftain of the party in Delta State, Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena (retd.), has announced his resignation as member of the APC in protest against the decision of the party’s presidential candidate, A Bola Tinubu, to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The retired Air Force chief, a former Military administrator of Abia state, who is also a national caucus member of the APC described the Muslim-Muslim ticket as “the highest level of insensitivity to the Christian faith in the country.”

His resignation was contained in a statement he issued on Monday in Warri.

AVM Ajobena, who was the first Military Administrator of Abia State, noted further that it was inhumane for such a decision to be taken by Tinubu, whom he said, he respected so much.

The statement read partly, “Tinubu is not my enemy, I am not against him. But let’s call a spade a spade. It is not my character to be a double agent, I am not pretending; even though I like the APC, the right thing should be done.

“The decision could be described as one that portrays arrogance and total disrespect to us, Christians, in the APC.

“The latest development portrays us as a people who can easily be bought over with money. Such an action is a minus to our democratic system. In what capacity will I be serving in his campaign train? As a slave?

“A man must stand for something, else will fall for anything, hence, I am quitting”.

Also in protest of the Muslim – Muslim ticket, former Governorship Candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Rivers state, Prince Tonye Princewill has resigned his membership of the ruling party,

Princewill, who also contested for the Rivers State APC governorship ticket in 2019, in his resignation letter, which was addressed to the APC National Chairman, senator Adamu Abdulahi, blamed his resignation to the decision of the party leadership and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to settle for a fellow Muslim, Senator Kashim Shettima, as running mate.

“I can’t argue for equity in my state and defend inequity in my country”, Princewill said in his resignation leter, which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said; “While I appreciate my leader, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and all his efforts, I cannot defend the decision of my party in fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket, especially at a time like this, against all protestations from well meaning Nigerians, across religious and political divides.

“It sets a very wrong precedent, it is totally insensitive and even if you win, will prove bad for good governance. Under these dire circumstances, I find no justification to still remain, in good conscience, a member of a political party that subordinates electoral victory, over the safety of lives and the peace of mind of its citizens.

”The men and women of our party here in Rivers are the most loyal and faithful supporters I have met. They know right and they know wrong. And they know me. I enjoyed working with them and I am so sad to leave. But an APC party that totally disregards the basics of the same equity we preach, is alien to me. Buhari resisted the same temptation and chose a little known Osinbajo and won. By doing this, Tinubu is saying that a Northern Christian has no electoral value. My staying means I agree.

“I wish you well. And I remain grateful to our Leader, but I can not defend the indefensible. And to be totally honest, neither should you”.

In a similar development, Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has resigned his membership from the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Okonkwo, who made his decision known through his official Instagram, on Monday, said the decision of the ruling party to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential candidate for the 2023 elections was a major reason for his resignation.

“If Muslims could voluntarily vote for southern presidents it is then a fallacy to insinuate that they cannot accept a northern Christian vice president.

“This will permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria if allowed to stand. This is in the addition to the failure to protect lives and properties of Nigerians which should be their primary responsibility. The country is also in shatters.

“Being the convener of the Campaign for Equity and Justice in Nigeria, and as a former member of APC Presidential Campaign Council, which resisted same religion presidential ticket in the past, I can no longer continue to lend my name to these abnormalities in the interest of mutual peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country, Nigeria.

“I, therefore, resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress to enable me focus on building the Nigeria of our dream with the motto: Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.”

The actor said he resigned his membership in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

It would be recalled that Adamawa North senator, Ishaku Abbo, had earlier resigned his membership of the Tinubu Support Organization (TSO), following the nomination of Senator Kassim Shettima, Borno Central, a Muslim as the running mate to the party’s Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also a Muslim ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Senator Abbo stated that his conscience will not allow him to campaign for the APC Presidential Candidate and his Running Mate, just as he described the ruling party’s choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket as irresponsible, insensitive and ignorant of the country’s political system.

Senator Abbo said, “It is very irresponsible of Tinubu to take his political survival over the stability and peace of Nigeria,” Ishaku Abbo, the senator representing Adamawa North, blasted APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu for picking a Muslim as his running mate.

“For Tinubu now to be given the ticket and turn around to do what he couldn’t achieve in 2015 despite opposition from Catholics and other Christian leaders is extremely irresponsible

“We cannot work for such a man. I will oppose (a) Christian-Christian ticket because I am invested in the stability of this country. A Christian-Christian ticket will be insensitive to Muslims of this country. The country is evenly divided among Muslims and Christians. So any government that is Muslim-Muslim will be illegitimate and will never gain the respect of Christians.”

Also, a coalition of Christians of Northern extraction in the All Progressive Congress has warned that the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the party for the 2023 general election will have serious and grave consequences.

The organisation, which comprised Christian politicians in the 19 northern states within the APC, said they would not go against their conscience and faith, and go to their various constituencies to campaign for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The coalition made its position known in a communique issued on Tuesday in Abuja after its meeting, which discussed the issues of the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket and the implications to the nation, signed by its Chairman, Prof. Doknan Sheni, and Secretary-General, Ishaya Bauka.

While describing the development as unacceptable, the coalition said Nigeria remained a multi-religious and constitutional democracy and not a theocracy, adding that the current political atmosphere of the nation was different from what occurred in 1993.

The communique read, “The selection of a Muslim vice presidential candidate portrayed insensitivity to the Christians in the nation.

“The fear of the Christians in the North and the nation, in general, is that the APC will be viewed as an Islamic party and the Muslim -Muslim ticket was not possible in 2015, why should it be possible in 2023?

“More so, that we are apprehensive that the person picked might have had a hand in the Chibok girls Saga and other terror activities, Muslim-Muslim ticket would undermine the election chances of Christian candidates in the APC in the various states in the North. The Christians in the North and the whole nation are highly aggravated.

“Considering that the Chairman of the party is a Muslim, Deputy Chairman – North, is a Muslim, the President of the Senate is a Muslim, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are Muslims, and now both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates are Muslims and apart from this violating the constitution, section 14 subsection 3, if this was to be reversed that all these were Christians, can any Muslim in the North be able to sell the APC presidential ticket to any Muslim ummah?”

The communiqe stated further that “at this moment of national peril, what should be paramount in Nigeria is unity and not infrastructure or economy.”

“For without unity, we cannot build. Any party or candidate that elevates the greed of a few above the needs of the many has no business running the affairs of Nigeria,” the coalition said.