The major political parties in Nigeria devote much time and effort to selecting candidates based on ethnicity and religion. It’s popular as MLB odds, , and Nigerians have it as a culture.
The actual presidential campaign will begin on September 28, 2022, while the presidential election will occur in approximately six months.
There will be many turns and twists on this long journey, and political fortunes will also change.
We now have three months until the campaign begins. Even in this murky region, problems and
variables influencing the campaign and election are beginning to emerge.
Which of the presidential tickets produced by the current election cycle (presidential and the
deputy) is good enough (and not religiously twisted) to lead Nigeria at the highest level in May 2023?
Religion is still a factor
Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has
selected 55-year-old Muslim Kashim Shettima as his running partner for the February 25, 2023,
general elections.
Typically, the nominees for President and vice president of Nigeria are a Muslim from the north
and a Christian from the south.
Thus, a Christian from the south will serve as Vice President, and a Muslim from the north will
serve as President. Per the zoning regulation, these two positions are then rotated every eight years or two terms.
The primary focus is on the role that religion will play in the 2023 presidential election. Since
2003, religion has unquestionably had a significant role in our presidential elections. The opponent has elected to play the same game.
Former vice-president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar, 75 years
old and a Muslim, had previously selected Christian Ifeanyi Arthur as his running mate. Since
2015, Ifeanyi Okowa, a 62-year-old veteran of the PDP, has served as governor of Delta State.
This strategy, known as “zoning,” aims to alleviate religious and ethnic tensions since the
majority of the population in the north is Muslim. In contrast, the majority in the south is Christian.
Before and throughout the official start of the campaigns in September, zoning will dominate the
debate, particularly the religious aspect. This election will be viewed by voters as a contest
between the north and south, obscuring the economic and security changes altering the risk
environment.
In liberal democratic elections, the ideology of political parties, including their programs,
manifestos, and platforms (which include social services, welfare issues, and working-class
concerns), and sensitivity to diversity, including the issue of gender justice, are crucial, ideal, considerations that should guide voters’ decisions.
In a secular state such as Nigeria, a candidate’s religious convictions should not be relevant;
however, this appears to be the case and key as people have devoted themselves to it as they
do with MLB lines.
The only times this did not occur were in 1999, 2007, and 2019 when the leading presidential
contenders shared the same religion. In contrast, religion will undoubtedly play a significantly
more significant role in the 2023 elections.
According to the Nigerian Constitution, this is a no-state religion. Nonetheless, the Nigerian
government has used state funds and other resources in an immoral and unlawful manner to
promote the hegemony and dominance of Islam and Christianity.
The Nigerian Constitution states that the country is a secular or multi-religious state, yet this is
not what the leaders portray.
APC insists religion should not play the part
Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, defended the presidential ticket of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) by stating that competency is the most crucial factor.
Faith, religion, and spiritual matters are crucial to man. However, in terms of time, they are not
the essential components of man’s social and economic life.
“I believe religion should have no bearing on what you say. You should evaluate your skills,
expertise, and track record in this instance,” he added.
There are several identities at any period, including social, economic, political, religious,
professional, ethnic, national, international, gender, age group, and class identities.
The governor responded to the attacks on the APC presidential candidates Bola Tinubu and
Kashim Shettima, two Muslim brothers.
The fact that Tinubu will be standing for politics next year has no bearing on his decision,
according to him. Instead, he stated that it was due to how Nigerian regions are allocated
authority.
Even after numerous elections, Nigeria’s government has been unable to solve the challenge of
how to run the country. However, the challenge is not impossible.
Neither a committed, Holy Spirit-filled, Holy Bible-carrying Christian nor a Muslim who attends
the mosque five times per day, fasts constantly, and frequently quotes from the Holy Quran can
fix things independently.
It is a problem that must be tackled by Nigerians of all religions and those with no religious
affiliation.
Political matters are crucial, and as you focus on MLB spreads, the polls in Nigeria
take shape.
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