2023: Tinubu doesn’t need Christian vote to be President, he has thrown the gauntlet — Babachir Lawal

Babachir David Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has described the decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to field a Muslim -Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election as an existential threat to Christians in Northern Nigeria.

Lawal said Tinubu’s affirmation of Alhaji Kashim Shettima as his Vice Presidential nominee despite all protestations by well-meaning APC members across the country is especially a declaration that the APC flagbearer does not need the vote of Christians and that “Christians can go to hell with their votes” in 2023.

In an exclusive chat the APC chieftain assured his former ally that his brickmanship to perpetually relegate unborn Northern Christian children to second-class citizens and irrelevance in their own country, where they would neither aspire to be President or Vice president not would fall flat.

He said they have picked the gauntlet stressing that the God of justice and equity would vindicate their cry through Nigerian voters when the votes are counted in February 2023.

The former SoGF cried that Tinubu by his choice is driving a wedge on their right to justice and peaceful coexistence with all practicers of other religions, pointing out the political gambit would be met with an appropriate response, citing a quote from the bible.

“I did say it, “those the gods want to destroy they first make mad. Tinubu has thrown down the gauntlet. He has submitted Alhaji Kashim Shetima as his nominee. He has stood by his affirmation that he only requires Muslim votes to be President and for all he cares, Christians can all go to hell with their votes. This is his position and he has a right to it. I concede to him.

“We have picked it up this gauntlet. The God of justice and equity through the Nigerian voter will decide the victor between the Nigerian Christian, Alhaji Tinubu and his party the APC.

“This is our country and we will not let Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu relegate us, our children and our religion to second-class status in our own country.

“For us, this is an existential crisis. Our rights to justice and peaceful co-existence with all practitioners of other religions are under threat. A northern Nigerian Christian child deserves to be bequeathed a future in which he can aspire to be President or Vice President of Nigeria.

“The Bible supports our position and the Nigerian Constitution supports and even guarantees it.

“Come on Alhaji Tinubu! Come on APC! Again, to your tents o Israel. The Bible records a time like this in history: 1 Chronicle 12: 32: “from the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take,” he added. (Independent)