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Muslim-Muslim ticket: Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo dumps APC
 
By: Abara Blessing Oluchi
Tue, 12 Jul 2022   ||   Nigeria,
 

Popular Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress over the party’s decision to fly a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2023 election.

Recall that the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, announced former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate despite opposition from some quarters to a same-faith ticket.

Angered by the decision of the former Lagos state governor, Okonkwo announced his decision in a letter shared on his Instagram page on Monday.

The Nollywood actor said his decision became imperative following Tinubu’s choice of Shettima as running mate despite clamour from stakeholders and other Nigerians that a Christain northerner should complement the party’s ticket.

The statement reads partly, “Recall that joined APC because of its Constitutional vow, as true Progressives and Patriots, to eliminate all forms of discrimination and social injustice in Nigeria, thereby building the nation a nation which will guarantee equal opportunity for all and ensure mutual and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

“Those ideals are now alien to the APC, with their unfortunate decision to paint our Muslim brothers in had light, by insinuating that the Muslims in Nigeria will not accept or vote for a Northern Christian as Vice-President to pair with a Southern Muslim.

“If Muslims could vote voluntarily for Southern Christian 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.

“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 our peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country.”

 

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