Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, the Chairman, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), says Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, will give Nigerians a better nation.
Ibikunle gave the assurance on Tuesday while addressing youths on the platform of youth professionals in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NLRC chairman and APC chieftain was reacting to myriads of challenges confronting the nation and the much talked about Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party.
Ibikunle advised Nigerians to “consider the myriads of problems confronting the country and choose leaders that can confront them, irrespective of religion or creed”.
According to him, Nigeria’s current problems know no religion, ethnicity or region. Tinubu will give us a better Nigeria.
Ibikunle said that the much talked about Muslim-Muslim ticket of APC for the 2023 presidential election had become “a distraction taking away the eyes of Nigerian players from the ball”.
He said that those stoking the debate against the ticket should concentrate more on the capabilities of the two names on the ticket.
The NLRC chairman urged them not to “weaponise religion to deny poor Nigerians the opportunity of being served by a capable team of leaders”.
He said: “There is lot of work to be done by youths of this great nation. You need to go out there and let the ordinary people understand the true situation of things.
“Some people just want to tell us that religion is our main problem at this time whereas it is not. This is a ploy to take our eyes away from the ball.
“The real problems confronting us right now, as a nation, are hunger, poverty, insecurity and comatose economy. These problems don’t know religion; they don’t know regions,” he said.
Ibikunle said things were getting worse as they continue to dissipate energy over Muslim-Muslim ticket, adding that such matter was less important in the bid to salvage the troubled nation.
“Some people are fanning embers of disunity through religion, instead of engaging in robust discussions on the increasing wave of insecurity in the country.
“We should be challenging the presidential candidates on how they intend to end insecurity, bring back our economy, as well as foster unity and peace in the country,” he said.
Ibikunle said that the terrorists were getting bold to say they would kidnap elected leaders, while they were listening to those babel about religion.
He urged Nigerians to look at the quality of Tinubu as APC presidential candidate and Alhaji Kashim Shettima as his running mate, not their religions.
“Can Tinubu replicate the unprecedented and unmatched success he recorded in Lagos State in Nigeria as a whole?
“Will his global connections as a top flight international accountant be deployed to Nigeria’s economic benefit? These are the kind of questions we should be asking now.
“Let Nigerians not be deceived about religion. Tinubu’s wife is a senior pastor, while most of his children are Christians,” he said.
Ibikunle said that Tinubu won’t have a Pastor as wife and allow his children practicing Christianity, if he hated Christians.
He said that the APC had simply put up a pair capable of winning the presidential race as well as bringing sustainable progress, unity and peace to the country.
According to him, it is the best and done by the party in the best interest of Nigeria.
“We all know Tinubu as a highly liberal and broadminded Nigerian with the love of masses at heart.
“Talking about mentoring and building leaders, the APC presidential candidate is clearly the best. He has mentored and built Nigerian youths of various faiths, tribes and regions,” he said.
Ibikunle, however, assured youths of a better future and a greater Nigeria with Tinubu as the nation’s President.
