Spokesman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has strongly criticized the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket, stating that it has significantly undermined the political system of the country.
During an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, Baba-Ahmed expressed his dismay over how Nigerians have allowed politicians to exploit religion and manipulate their faith for personal gain.
Baba-Ahmed pointed out, “We had a Muslim president for eight years in this country. The North has never been as bad as it is. It did nothing to the North."
He further highlighted a specific incident involving Governor Nasir El-Rufai, stating, “What did El-Rufai do for the Muslims? He demolished their houses on the very last day he was leaving, 95 percent of the houses he demolished belonged to Muslims. So of what value has the Muslim-Muslim ticket been to them?"
Describing the Muslim-Muslim ticket as fraudulent, Baba-Ahmed blamed politicians for exploiting religion to detrimentally impact the political system. He emphasized the need for people to be vigilant and recognize the destructive influence of such practices.
“They are deceiving the people into believing that the faith of the people into thinking that the faith of a politician represents a plus or minus to you, it doesn’t," he warned.
Baba-Ahmed also highlighted the fact that religious affiliation does not necessarily dictate one's character or moral values. “For all you know, you could be a Muslim and not pray five times a day, you could be a Christian and have horrible habits," he added.
Baba-Ahmed stressed the importance of separating religion from politics and urged citizens to be discerning and critical of politicians who exploit faith for their own gain.