10th Assembly: Your Religious Sermon, Hypocritical- Middle Belt Youths Carpet Shettima

–Urge VP-elect to Step Down For A Christian VP

A Coalition of Middle Belt Youth Leaders, on Thursday, challenged the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, to stop meddling in the process to the emergence of the 10th National Assembly leadership, describing the latter’s recent religious sermon as hypocritical.

The Coalition gave the caution in Abuja while addressing journalists on the recent statement credited to Senator Shettima, where he was quoted to be advising the National Assembly members-elect, to ensure a religious balance in the choice of their leaders in the two Chambers of the legislative institution.

Reading out a statement he co-signed with the Secretary of the Coalition, Mr. Gugu Musa, the Youth Leader, Middle Belt Forum, Comrade Nasiru Jagaba, urged the Vice President-elect to step down for a Christian Vice President to emerge, if he meant his campaign for religious balance in the country’s power sharing arrangement.

Jagaba said that the intervention of the Vice President-elect was a cunning way to attempt to hoodwink the elected lawmakers into accepting the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

Part of the statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to an attempt by Sen. Kashim Shettima, Vice President-elect to a statement which in our perception is targeted to ridicule Christianity as well as deceive, and or manipulate Nigerians, particularly the elected members of the 10th Assembly as they prepare for the elections of leaders of the National Assembly in a matter of weeks from now.

“Senator Kashim Shettima is reported on 13th May, 2023 as having counseled the elected legislative members of the 10th Assembly that “the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot be of same faith because it would fuel Islamisation agenda narrative.

“This is a cunning way to attempt to hoodwink the elected lawmakers into accepting the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the 10th national assembly.

“In his opinion, a situation where the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims, could “validate the negative narrative of the Islamisation agenda of Nigeria”. Shettima added that the leadership of the 10th Assembly must be all inclusive because the “stability of the nation is much more important than any other consideration”.

“In his own words, Senator Shettima said: “What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, and the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will lend credence, and validate the negative narrative of the Islamization agenda of Nigeria.”

“Gentlemen of the press, and great citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hearing the above words one will hear something of a patriot and great democrat in that quote. However, it would have been better judged so if these words from Sen. Shettima came against the call for him to pick the Vice Presidential ticket along side a Muslim in person of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Asiwaju Tinubu.

“We are surprised that Senator Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from Borno who did not only lobby but accepted to be vice to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim from the South, could not advise his principal on the danger of running a same faith ticket in the executive arm of the nation’s government but suddenly found his voice against a same faith leadership in the Nation’s legislative arm.

“It is equally alarming, that Senator Kashim Shettima could not think about “stability of the nation” when himself and his principal ran on a same faith ticket, thereby causing so much disaffection among citizens of the country along religious lines as reported above and the many here not captured.

“If he was a democrat, a patriot, and a true leader whose interest is the good of the nation he would have suggested a mixed faiths ticket for each arm of the nation’s government and not only the legislative arm.

“As patriot and objective minds whose interest is the good of the nation, We here today warn Kashim Shettima to stop this manipulation and unnecessary incitements against the relative peace that we are enjoying for now. He should not remind us of the past, it was under his regime that Christian girls were abducted in Chibok and till this day, some of them are still being held captive.

“Election of the leadership of the National Assembly has never been about religion/faith, so, we employ Kashim Shettima and his core travelers to desist forthwith from the unhealthy incitement and allow elected lawmakers to choose their leaders. Shettima should note that he holds no moral justification to give that counsel even if it were to be the best counsel. Nigeria and Nigerians are calm and okey with how the elected members of the 10th National Assembly are going on with their activities ahead of the elections of her leaders in accordance with the constitutional provisions and extant laws thereto.

“Hence, we advise he and his agents must let them be as it is because his counsel is not needed. The country has moved on, and we do not need this. We believe that the best way Sen. Kashim Shettima can show that he is sensitive to the stability of this country and his sudden advocacy for Christianity is to humbly step down for a Christian Vice President as it is still not too late. This is the best way forward now that he has found his voice and conscience. Until that is done, we will continue to rate Shettima as a bigot, who specializes in manipulating religion for his personal interest.

“We equally admonish our elected lawmakers of the 10th National Assembly not to let themselves be deceived by Shettima’s Machiavellian moves. They should elect leaders that defend the interest of the majority of Nigerians, irrespective of their faith or ethnicity. They should know that Nigerians have great expectations and goodwill for them and that we support whatever they decide by themselves hence, they should guide and guard themselves from the voices that they take counsel from.”