By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

A renowned Islamic Cleric and the Former Special Adviser to the Governor of Kaduna State
On Islamic Matters and Hajj,Sheik Haliru Abdullahi Maraya has called on Nigerians especially Muslim politicians to avoid the pressure of succumbing to the calls for a Muslim-Muslim Presidential Ticket .

In a press release buttressing his opinion on Monday 4 July 2022 ,which was distributed to pressmen, the sheik explained that

“Nigeria is a multi-religious country of more than 200million people who are Muslims and non-Muslims. Hence, one can say that the country is owned by more than 200million citizens who are of diverse religious background. In order to be just to all the citizens of the country, and also to balance the apparent religious sentiments prevalent in the country, Nigeria’s politicians and its major political parties have avoided fielding same-faith presidential candidates since the present political dispensation from 1999.

He further explained that the country is better off with a presidential ticket which has the President and his running mate coming different religious backgrounds.
This he added would have fulfilled the constutional requirements of the country

“In any event, the combination of people of different religious background, on a presidential ticket, appears to give vent to the constitutional requirement that the composition of the federal government and its agencies should reflect the federal character of the country, and the need to promote national unity, thereby ensuring that there is no predominance of sectional groups in the government, as enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

2023: Groups Urge Tinubu to Consider Marwa as Presidential Running Mate.
He went on to add “The combination of a Muslim and non-Muslim, in a presidential ticket, in Nigeria of today, also gives vent to the spirit of justice, fairness and equity as enshrined in the religion of Islam. Remember, the country is for the Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The religion of Islam orders the sincere administration of justice, on all, regardless of any distinction, be it religious, ethnic, geographical, tribal, inter alia. The religion enjoins its adherents to always stand for justice as a matter of principle, whether for Muslims or non-Muslims, even if justice should side against them. The Quran says: “and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just” (Q5:8). As a Muslim, one is enjoined by the religion to only love for mankind, regardless of any social difference, what they love for themselves. I don’t think there is a Muslim who will support a Christian-Christian presidential ticket. Undoubtedly, the Muslims would cry out for the perpetration of injustice against them. Hence, it’s wrong for a Muslim to support a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as it is at variance with the spirit of justice which the religion of Islam promotes and defends at all times.

The revered Sheik slammed the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket as it would only exacerbate tensions along religious lines by adding those promoting such idea for not mean well for the country.

“Those promoting the idea of a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian presidential ticket, in today’s Nigeria, do not wish the country well especially now that it is divided along religious fault lines. I wonder what the country would be should the various agitations in the land assume a religious dimension. No religion has the monopoly of qualified people who have the capacity to serve as running mates to presidential candidates if merit should be the parameter for the nomination of running mates.

The Sheik further argued that all the religions in the country for have people adequately endowed to be nominated as running mates to either a Muslim or Christian presidential candidate

” Undoubtedly, both Muslims and non-Muslims, in Nigeria of today, are endowed with capable and qualified persons for the offices of the President and Vice-President alike. Consequently, justice, fairness and equity, as enjoined by the religion of Islam, demand that a Muslim presidential candidate should nominate a non-Muslim as their running mate, and a non-Muslim presidential candidate should nominate a Muslim as their running mate, in Nigeria of today, for the sake of the promotion of national unity and cohesion.

To balance the geographical and ethnic sentiments in the country, our politicians and major political parties have never contemplated fielding candidates of the same geographical and ethnic leanings. In other words, they have never fielded a north-north or a south-south presidential ticket.

In recent times, Nigerians have been divided on ethnic cum religious lines since Governor Nasiru El Rufai of Kaduna State urged the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is a Muslim to choose a running mate who should be a Muslim as well