Popular Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Gumi, on Monday described the All Progressives Congress’ Muslim-Muslim ticket as ‘wayo’ (deceit).
He also said it was not proper for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to claim it was his turn to become the next president of the country.
According to the cleric, the president Nigeria needs in 2023 is an experienced leader that can unite the people and not a novice.
Gumi spoke during an interview on the forthcoming general election and the state of the nation.
Speaking about Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, he said, “Nigeria needs an experienced politician. We don’t need a novice to be President. The situation in Nigeria today needs an experienced politician to solve it.”
On Tinubu he said, “It is not proper for him to say it is his turn. There is no question to saying it is my turn. Don’t say it is my turn because if people like you they will vote for you. He is a good administrator, he can do it. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is unnecessary.
“We all know, all these politicians are looking for votes. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is, let me use Hausa language, is wayo (deceit). It is not religion. Whether it will work or not, I don’t want to prophesize, but there are a lot of hurdles. In fact, all political parties have hurdles. Muslim-Muslim ticket is going to be a laboratory test for others to emulate or not”.
On the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, the Islamic cleric said, “The youths following him are divided like the adults. He needs to reach out to other segments of Nigerians. Relying on youths is not enough. He has to be all over the place, and not leave politics to one region”.
Speaking further he said, “Nigeria is now in the 21st century, people are more educated now. What Nigeria needs now are people with competency. We should not be talking about the North because the North is no longer monolithic, we should not be talking about the Southwest because no particular person is in control, and we should not be talking about South East, look at how Senator Ifeanyi Uba was attacked by his own people.
“So let’s talk about Nigeria as one united people. Nobody controls anybody in the country. So let’s move forward. Look at America, nobody is talking about power rotation. Let’s develop a democracy that we can sustain.”
According to Gumi, social injustice and poverty are to be blamed for the insecurity in the country.
He added that seven years into President Buhari’s government, almost every Nigerian is feeling the pains of socio-economic hardship in the country.