The bishops who met presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in Abuja on Thursday have said they were not committed to endorsing him.
Daily Trust had reported how the candidate met with Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria.
In his brief comment at the meeting, Chairman of Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria, Archbishop John Praise, said, “We are not committed to endorsing anybody, but you should ask your conscience and from what you have heard and from the explanation, he (Tinubu) had given to us to make your own judgement of who will better rule and handle the country.”
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State told the bishops that his choice of a former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima was not a threat to the Christian community.
Tinubu explained that his choice of Shettima was based on competence and not religious considerations, adding that only competence can resolve the political and socio-economic challenges bedevilling the nation.
The APC presidential candidate said he has always been a friend of the Christian community and he should be considered based on his track records, plans and agenda for developing Nigeria.
“How will Nigeria develop? How do we banish hunger? How do we improve the insecurity and how do we eliminate killing one another, shedding of blood of innocent citizens, that is what we must take to the office and not our religion.
“My intention is clear, not religiosity. My intention is to develop this country, to bring prosperity to our country and I have better qualification, better track records, better exposure, better vision than any of my mates.
“When the shortlisted names came, I looked at the characters on the list, their background and everything and here is somebody (Kassim Shetimma) who is so brilliant, so committed, who, during the crisis in Borno protected Christians,” he said.
