By Ayodele Fagbohun

|

No sooner the unnecessary controversy on already settled national issue of zoning the presidency to the southern part of the country after the exit of the incumbent, president Mohammadu Buhari from the north, was laid to rest than the issue on religious balancing on choice of the running mates to presidential candidates crop up.

Not until the ruling APC succeeded in fielding a southerner, a chieftain of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu as the  party flagbearer come 2023 general elections in a pyrrhic victory both for the aspirant and southerner Governor’s platform chaired by Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.

The vigorous and sustained struggle canvassed for southern presidency paid off handsomely with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a staunch party man becoming the APC standard bearer.

However, the main opposition party, the PDP teneged  and  breached  gentlemen’s agreement by retaining in perpetuity the presidency as the birthright of the northern enclave; not minding whose horse is gored and without grave concern for the sensibilities of the people in a democratic setting.

Against this backdrop, all hands must be on deck to de-emphasize the role of religion in the choice of running mates at this critical juncture of our practical politics or any issue be it tribal or religious that may divide and put the nation and her volatile people at daggers drawn.

Religion is aptly tagged the opium  of the society. Hence, we must be circumspect and cautious in injecting  religious practices and doctrine that may antagonize relationship with otherwise peaceful neigbhours.

As Nigerians in quest for enduring nationhood, we must scrupulously forge a harmonious working relationship no matter how we differ in faith. We must continue to  co-exist in peaceful brotherhood either muslims or Christians even amongst the so called traditional believers. Either we believe or live it, we all the humans are the offspring of Abraham/Ibrahim either you are a Christian or muslim.

This must not only be in preachment but by espousing the faith to foster and cement spirit of brotherhood in igniting flames of unity and peaceful co-existence of the country.

Come to the nitty-gritty, the issue of religious balancing in the presidential race now in vogue is a just distraction and fuss about nothing. It does not add any value to the presidential ambition of the personality in the race desiring to do credit and kudos and impact positively on the course of good and purposeful government.

We are authoritatively told that Obafemi Awolowo was precluded in his choice for a credible Northern muslim  running-mate ahead 1979 presidential elections by the wiles and machination of General Olusegun Obasanjo pretending to hand over back to civilians. Awo finally chose a barrister-at-law, Philip Umeadi as vice presidential candidate who hailed from Anambra state/ South East of Igbo ethic state.

Awo polled 4,916,551 (29.18%) to take second position to Alhaji Shehu Shagari who scored 5, 688,857 (33.77%).

Despite the blatant and barefaced rigging by the notorious defunct NPN heavily aided and abetted by Obasanjo’s military junta, Shagari managed to ‘defeat’ with comparatively negligible number of votes without meeting the minimum requirement according to the electoral provision in the constitution. Where then lie the efficacy of the running mate of Awo’s presidential bid in 1979 polls?

As the largest democracy with her great and incredible potential in African continent and to entire black race, Nigeria must out grow the present petty religious bigotry and aspire to mobilise, galvanize the requisite manpower to move the nation forward in all its ramifications.

President John F. Kennedy, one of the greatest American presidents that ever lived believed in America where there is separation of the church and the state which is inviolable and absolute.

No catholic prelate would ever tell the President (John F. Kennedy, a devout catholic himself) how to act. And no protestant minister would tell his parishioners whom to vote.

John F. Kennedy astutely demonstrated this unalloyed quality of patriotism while on electioneerings to office of presidency.

He was faced with a dilemma to either choose his religion or state, Kennedy opted for the latter and there and then, was overwhelmingly and convincingly elected as United states president.

That was the high-water mark of allegiance to American state which is diametrically opposed to the lethargic adherence to primodial  religious bigotry prevalent among Nigeria’s political leadership to upstage the essence of democracy and to serve the naked backward looking force of few domineering and oppressive ruling elite.

As the nation strives mightily to de-emphasize the role of religion in the conduct of the  government undertaking or business, to the barest minimum, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as candidate to the highest political office of the land is on the right track for picking as running mate a formidable Kanuri born political figure, former governor of Bornu-state and firebrand progressive Alhaji Kashim Shettima to chart new political mandate for the country.

It is high time to jettison the bogey concept of sacrificing the political destiny of the country on the altar of aggrandizement and sacerdotalism.

We won’t do the future generation of our country any good if we continue, out of obduracy to conduct the political affairs of the country along parochial religious and ethnic lines this could  obfuscate cause of good government which negates the spirit and letters of Nigeria’s constitution as a secular state.

In a spiritual search for nationhood, political leadership should strive hard to sever the nation from the religious umbilical cord which could daze her socio-economic and political sensibilities as a keen player within the orbit of modern and enlightened nations.

For peace, progress, unity and political stability of the country, Nigeria should remain and be preserved as a secular state devoid of any religious interference in the day-to-day activities of government be it at local, state or federal level of operation.

It is rash, dangerous,  and unpatriotic to fan embers of religious disharmony and disaffection among the populace across the country. Let’s face the stark reality, how preponderate are Christians of northern extraction that can effectively mobilise the “talakawa” in the north to garner enough votes for electoral victory?