Muslim-Muslim ticket: Nigeria runs democracy, not theocracy – Leo Igwe

A human rights activist, Dr Leo Igwe has said the religion of Nigeria’s president or his vice is not relevant because the country practices democracy and not a theocracy.

Igwe, a board member of Humanists International, said this in a statement on Monday to lend his voice on the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) fielding Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as presidential and vice-presidential candidates respectively.

While he said the country cannot detach itself from religion which has become of politics for Nigerian people, he added that it is left for the electorate to decide whether to queue behind APC or other parties that do not use same-faith.

Igwe said: “Nigeria is a democracy, not a theocracy. So it is immaterial if presidents and their deputies profess the same or different religions or no religion at all. The president is a head of state not a head of the state mosque or church and can come from any religious or nonreligious background. Same as the vice president. The president is a political, not a religious leader. So his or her religious identity should not be an issue.”

He further said: “The choice of a Muslim running mate for the presidential flag bearer of the APC was not based on competence and capability as stated. No, it was not. It was a realpolitik move. There were Christian and other non-Muslim politicians in northern Nigeria competent enough to serve as Tinubu’s deputy.

“But the realpolitik in northern Nigeria did allow the APC to choose any of them. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is based on an arrangement that no non-Muslim presidential or vice presidential candidate of a major party would politically win in northern Nigeria. Muslim votes were a strong factor in the choice of APC’s vice presidential candidate.

“Whatever the case, in a democracy, parties field candidates of their choice. APC has decided. But the people are the ultimate judge. APC has chosen a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Now, it is the turn of the people to decide. The Muslim-Muslim ticket would have to be tested. The ticket would be subjected to the will of the people come February 2023.”

The humanist stated that Nigerian politicians do not consider other religions and non-believers in their decision, so he expressed his views as a humanist for those who do not practise Christianity or Islam.

“As a humanist, I am deeply concerned about the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket. And here are my reasons. First, there is no effective separation of religion and politics in Nigeria. The everyday politics in Nigeria attests to this concern. Nigeria is a secular state in principle not in practice.

“Although the Nigerian constitution prohibits state religion, Islam is the state religion in Muslim majority states. Sharia is in force in various states. The state funds religious police, courts, and pilgrimages. The Islamic faith is privileged and there is no separation of mosque and state.

“Christianity is the state religion in Christian majority states. The separation of church and state is a paper tiger. What obtains in politics is a case of the religious-winner-takes-all situation. So, a Muslim-Muslim ticket should be of concern to any intelligent observer of Nigerian politics, especially at this time in the history of the country.

“What I present here is a humanist viewpoint on the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. It is not the Humanist perspective. What I present is not representative of the views or positions of the humanist community or association on this matter. Some humanists may agree or disagree totally or partially with my position and perspective. That is in order,” he added.