Tobias Sylvester
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has begged Christian leaders to talk to their church members about the need to vote for the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 general elections.
Rotimi Akeredolu Apologises Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket
The governor spoke on Sunday at the 40th Holy Ghost convention dinner of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, which was held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo state.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, on Monday, Okeredolu appealed to the Christian leaders to help talk to their followers about the need to forgive the APC over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and give the party a chance.
The governor said, as a Christian, he’s also worried about the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket, but it is important to understand the need for power to return to the southern part of the country after eight years in the northern part.
“I discussed with Bishop Francis Wale Oke that presidency must come to the south. Take it or leave it, it is the minimum we can get,” Akeredolu was quoted as saying.
“It must come to the south. The north cannot produce president for eight years and still want to retain it for another eight years. It is not going to work.
“That is why under the Southern Governors’ Forum, where, luckily, God made me the chairman, kept hammering on that. It must come to the south. And when it also got to our party in APC, we fought that it must come to the south.
“Luckily, it did not only come to south, it came to the south-west. Now, where do we stand? I understand our feelings because I’m one of you. I am a Christian. All of us here are worried. What will be our gain, and that, why is my party, the APC throwing up a Muslim/Muslim ticket?
“It has been a real issue for all of us. Even members of the party, it has been an issue for us. We have debated it, fought it and we have done so many things about it. I have always said to people, my fight was for southern president.
“Now it has come to the south-west, will I now throw the baby away with the bathwater? Can I, in all honesty, do it? Should I, in all honesty, do it?
“We call it a matter of coincidence. It is a matter of conscience. All of us are here, why don’t we look at it from one angle? The buck stops on the table of the President.
“Do we have a capable hand who can manage the affairs if given the opportunity? Do you have a man who is bold enough to challenge incursion into our land? That is it.
“All of us here have lived together for years and we didn’t allow religion to bring fight among us. We have Muslims in our families and there is no fight. We have many leaders in Yorubaland who have both Muslims and Christians in their families and there is no fight.
“So, we want to appeal to our people that this is our time. I want to appeal to all our senior Pastors and General Overseers to help talk to their followers. We politicians can only do little. This is our time, please don’t be angry.”
KanyiDaily recalls Rotimi Akeredolu said it would be “alright” if either the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, or the APC’s flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, wins the 2023 presidential election.
