Gov Uzodinma denies canvassing support for APC Muslim-Muslim ticket

Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State, has denied lobbying for a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The governor noted in a statement signed on Wednesday, by Declan Emelumba, the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, that he never canvassed such a position.

According to the statement, the governor was certain that religion should not be a consideration in selecting the party’s vice presidential candidate, but rather competence.

“How can this position amount to advocating for Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket?” the Commissioner asked.

He then accused people he referred to as “mischief makers” of twisting the governor’s comments.

“His Excellency made it clear that there is no part of the Constitution where religion is a factor in choosing the President or his vice,” Emelumba said.

He said the governor of Imo was adamant that the ruling party was searching for a ticket that would focus on governance rather than divisive topics.

The choice of running mates by the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, Atiku Abubakar, has dominated public discourse in the last few days with majority of Nigerians expressing reservation about pairing of two individuals of same faith by the two parties.