What's wrong with buying a ticket from a Muslim?

muslim-muslim ticket

Where exactly does the problem lie in purchasing a ticket from a Muslim?

As the political climate continues to deteriorate leading up to the midterm elections in 2019, the selection of vice presidential candidates for each of the presidential candidates continues to be a contentious issue. This is due to the fact that the president is the most powerful person in the nation, and everyone is interested in finding out who will win the election since it will have a significant bearing on the future of both the people and the nation. In addition to this, a significant portion of the would-be president's success or failure would be contingent on the level of intelligence, loyalty, and expertise possessed by his vice president. This is not a funny situation.
In the most recent few weeks, religious affiliation has gone dangerously close to being the single most essential factor to take into consideration when selecting vice presidential candidates. It is becoming an increasingly intriguing question who would run for office alongside prominent candidates such as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, amongst others. Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, has been selected by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, to serve as his running mate. Atiku Abubakar previously served as vice president of the country. This decision has been met with disapproval by the PDP.
There are many other methods for selecting the most qualified people, but the geopolitical paradigm seems to be more significant than religion, "godfatherism," or any of the other elements that have prevented our progress as a nation.
Therefore, it is preferable for the state that the geopolitical element be permitted to serve as the deciding factor. A successful southern-northern arrangement is likely to be beneficial in a culture like ours, which values diversity of thought to the same extent that we do. To put it another way, contenders like Tinubu (South-West) and Obi (South-East) need to have running mates from from the North-East, North-West, or North-Central geopolitical zones in order to maintain this equilibrium. If one follows this line of reasoning, the consideration of one's religion during the selection of the best candidate is the component that is both the least significant and the most limiting. It makes no difference whether the tickets are for Muslims and Christians, Christians and Muslims, or Muslims and Christians. It is of the utmost significance that the nation realize the benefits of democracy and sound governance thanks to strong and capable leadership.
Why is everyone upset that Tinubu chose a Muslim running mate from the North, that Atiku or Kwankwaso chose another Muslim from the South, or, even better, that Obi chose a Christian running mate from the North? Tinubu chose a Muslim running mate from the North. Atiku chose a Muslim running mate from the South. The unfortunate reality that has to be brought to light is that things are so dire in Nigeria right now that it seems as if nothing will ever operate properly again. People are losing their lives every single day due to corruption, the economy isn't operating at its full potential, there is almost no security, poverty levels are at an all-time high, the unemployment rate is at an alarming level, industries aren't using their full capacity, and people's purchasing power has almost entirely vanished. As a result of these factors, the nation need a leader who is patient, well-informed, truthful, kind, open-minded, understands the issues at hand, and is aware of the appropriate courses of action to take. Therefore, the desire for a Muslim-Christian ticket at any cost, even if it means abandoning decent leadership, has to be viewed with some skepticism.
At this important juncture in the history of our nation, we want leaders who can formulate a strategy. This will not take place as long as we maintain our support for ethnoreligious patronage and have little to no regard for meritocracy as a hiring method. Also, who is to suggest that a ticket composed of two Muslims cannot be successful for either Tinubu or Atiku? Let's take a moment to discuss the concerns of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and other organizations before we continue this conversation. These organizations believe that Muslim-Muslim tickets are not permitted. If we examine Tinubu's situation objectively, are we able to regard him as a Nigerian who has abandoned his people but has a great heart and a high level of religious tolerance? Or are we unable to do so? It is essential to note that despite the fact that he is a devout Muslim, he has not attempted to prevent his wife from following her faith. Senator Oluremi Tinubu is very involved in the ministry of her church as a pastor. How many members of CAN are able to marry someone who does not profess Christianity or are willing to allow their spouses practice a religion other than Christianity without any problems?

On the other hand, how many Muslim men are able to live happily with their wives who are followers of a faith other than Islam without coercing their wives into converting to Islam? When Tinubu was governor of Lagos State, he never took choices based on his own personal preferences or the interests of his own tribe. This is another crucial fact to keep in mind about him. As a result of this benevolence, non-natives have been able to rise through the ranks of the state government to become commissioners and leaders of government offices. I want to make it quite clear that I do not belong to any political party, nor am I advocating for any particular candidate. I'm simply saying it how it is. What exactly are we trying to boast about by mandating that either the president or his vice president must at all times be a Christian? How do we explain the reality that there are Christians serving in high-level positions in the government right now, despite the fact that Christians are still being slaughtered for no apparent cause, churches are being assaulted, and Christians are seen to be left out?
Nigeria is not a secular nation, despite the fact that Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which was adopted in 1999 and has since been revised, states that "The Government of the Federation or of the State must not establish any religion as the State Religion." You might argue that our company is in jeopardy as a result of the significant role that religion plays in the political process in this nation. Every time, we see that Nigerian politicians and elites have failed to develop a strong democracy and bridge the gap between political and religious ideals by hiding behind religion. This is something that we witness again in Nigeria. The deficit is becoming worse in almost every aspect of life in our society.
When it comes to matters of faith, the nation has a long history of being plagued by tragedy. We are still able to recall the events that took place in 1978 when the Sharia Court of Appeal was first established. The Constituent Assembly almost came to an abrupt end as a result of this, and some supporters, both Muslim and non-Muslim, walked out. We can also recall the sectarian crises that occurred in the 1980s, when Nigeria became a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as the series of ethnic and religious conflicts that have occurred in Nigeria's politics from the 1990s until the present day. What are the events of today? Politicians simply will not refrain from using religious sentiments in order to control the electoral process, which is detrimental to the growth of both the country and genuine democracy.
Since the country's independence, religion has, without a question, been a significant component of Nigerian politics. As a result, the issue of the link between religion and politics has been and will continue to be a subject of debate. However, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who is considered to be one of the most significant philosophers in contemporary political theory, cautioned in his book Leviathan, which was first published in 1651, that religion is a potent instrument for producing division and a cause of political instability.
In light of all of this, those who are interested in running for president should seek outside the confines of their respective political parties in order to discover the most effective means to bring about the changes they want. There are a lot of competent candidates who aren't necessarily members of the party. Tinubu and his other contenders, who may not be the finest candidates for the position, should adopt a different strategy and search for experienced and tested professionals in the diaspora, academia, and the corporate sector to make up for their shortcomings and alter the country's fortunes.
The Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta is represented through Dr. Kupoluyi's writings.