Vice President-elect, Sen. Kashim Shettima, has said that there was no plot by the incoming Bola Tinubu administration to Islamise Nigeria.
The Vice President-elect said this, on Saturday at the Inauguration Lecture in Abuja,
Sen. Shettima said Tinubu, who has not Islamised his own family, could not do so to the country.
Recall that in the build-up to the February elections, the issue of religion elicited varied reactions after Tinubu, a Muslim from the Southwestern part of teh country, picked another Muslim – Shettima from the North East – as his running mate. That time, the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket sparked controversy.
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Reacting to the Muslim-Muslim ticket argument, Sen. Shettima said he deliberately picked an Igbo man, who is a Catholic, as his Chief Security Officer and a Northern Christian as his Aide de Camp (ADC) for the purpose of togetherness.
In the words of Shettima, “I was a child of necessity; there is no Islamisation agenda. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a Muslim who is married to a Christian, not only a Christian but a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“Someone who has not Islamised his family, people are alluding that he has the intention to Islamise the nation.
“Politics is about perception. As we begin the formation of a new administration, I deliberately picked an Igbo man, a Catholic, to be my Chief Security Officer.
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“For the purpose of inclusivity and togetherness, again I deliberately picked a northern Christian to be my ADC. So, the so-called founder of Boko Haram is going to be protected by….”
Speaking further, the former Borno State governor said the incoming Tinubu administration understands the seriousness of the work ahead, adding that they are ready to serve Nigerians.
“We are to serve. We are to listen. We are here to be held accountable. We are not sent on an evangelical mission. “Therefore, like every mortal, we may stumble here and there. None of these mistakes could be intentional.
“We shall never be oblivious of the impermanence of this power and we acknowledge that we shall be judged by man and God.”