Uproar as Tinubu goes for Muslim-Muslim ticket to beat INEC deadline

There is uproar across the country following report that the All Progressives Congress (ACPC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had submitted the name of former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari,  as his running mate in a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Nigeria Correspondents gathered that the move  by Tinubu was to beat the Friday,June 17 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates.

However, following uproar that greeted the supposed Muslim Muslim ticket, stakeholders of the party had prevailed in their view that Masari should be dropped for a more suitable candidate, obviously a Christian from the northern region.

Already notable names such as former Speaker Yakubu Dogara and current Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha as being mentioned as preferred candidates

It was gathered that the name of Masari, who hailed from the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, had to be dropped as consultations draw to a close to meet the INEC deadline.

The APC Presidential candidate is billed to meet with Buhari on the issue of his running mate as opposition against a Muslim-Muslim ticket mounts.

Many names had been linked with Tinubu’s running mate and a close source to the former Lagos State governor said he would have loved to pick former Speaker Dogara or former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ibrahim Shetima.

The source also denied the rumour that Tinubu wants to pick his running mate alone, saying the APC Leader was willing to work with the party to pick a suitable running mate for the 2023 Presidential election.