The National President, APC Initiative for Good Governance, Ambassador Musa Mohammed on Tuesday called on the National Working Committee of the ruling party to consider switching positions to enable the party have a good outing in the 2023 general elections.
Ambassador Musa based his suggestion on the current wrangling within the party as a result of its decision to go on Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
He said, with the ongoing seeming imbalance of positions between Christians and Muslims in the All Progressives Congress, there is the need for the party to look inward and put its house in order between the general elections in 2023.
“There is no gainsaying that the party has indeed found itself on a crossroad. We are all Nigerians and we all know that we need each other to make good whatever desire we seek to achieve especially in party politics. I therefore, hope that the party should rethink and switch positions.
“I am not saying that Senator Kashim Shettima should step down, no. He has been a good party man and demonstrated unequal contribution to the growth and stability of the party. By his stance with Tinubu, the former Borno state governor has shown everyone that cares about the party that when he takes the decision to stand with Tinubu, he remains the last man standing and stands to victory.
“I am of the opinion that he should remain in this position as our vice presidential candidate.
“However, something must be done and done immediately. I think the party’s working committee should begin to think along this line of thinking by switching some positions and allow our Christian brothers to take positions in leading the party.
“What I am saying is that we want to make a difference in 2023 and we need the Christian votes in the north. We should not deceive ourselves because numbers matter in politics and they (Christians) also have the numbers. Moreover, we must show that we are our brothers’ keepers in everything we do.
“In my own opinion, the party should immediately switch the APC National chairmanship position for a Christian and move the party Chairman to the position of National leader, which Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently occupying. Other positions should also be looked into and have the party in balance along religious lines, which is very important at this critical time,” Ambassador Musa said.
He observed that the lopsidedness as being pointed out by Christian politicians in the party is where the problem is and not necessarily about Kashim Shettima as an individual.
“I know the vice presidential candidate has worked with Christians as governor of Borno state and must of those we have been speaking with said that he is a man of humble character as we all know him to be and is not a bigot. So, I believe that a lot of Christians will be happy with Kashim Shettima as VP,” he said.