 Adams Oshomale, former national chairman of the all-progressive Congress APC, has reacted to comments by a former secretary to the government of the Federation, Babacare Lauer, over the party's Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. Now Oshomale said Nigerians should differentiate between a Christian by mouth and a devil by heart. He wondered why Lauer, who was involved in a grass-cutting scandal, could counter APC's Muslim-Muslim ticket. Apparing on TV on Wednesday, Oshomale stressed that the APC presidential candidate Bola Mettinibu was a better Christian because he was married to a Christian for almost 40 years, with children practising both Christian and Muslim faith. What's running us to discuss this debate is Okiyo Yesarafa Omolei Esquire, he's a member of the all-progressive Congress and a human rights activist, and also joining us is Honourable Angu Ongu, he's a special assistant to the Benarist State Governor on Student Affairs and also the Zonal Coordinator of the Article Support Organization. Thank you gentlemen for joining us. I was my player to be on your program this evening. Alright. Thank you very much. Thank you. Great. I'm going to start with you Mr Omolei. It's very interesting to see that we're continuing to have this conversation or this debate about the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Now many have queried why the APC presidential candidate is trying to see if he could replay what happened during the 1993 elections, I beg your pardon. And they're saying that this is 2022. Why don't you understand where the people are coming from? But again, we do have a divided nation when it comes to this religion and politics. But what are your thoughts being that Baba Cheolawal is actually being the one who's being put on the chopping board this evening? Well, people must realize that politics is dynamic. I've got to agree that we must be sensible and sensitive to the feelings of our people. But what have we said that we must realize that our politics should be age-based and that religion should not be a determining factor for somebody or people who could lead us to the promised lands. Nigeria is currently on a journey. I will must ensure that we look for credible competence and enable people who could assist this nation to their promised lands. So are you saying that there are no credible competent people from another faith if they were to be put on that tinnable ticket? Is that what you're implying? Because you started, I like that you started by saying that there is a need to be sensitive knowing I want to add that Nigeria is divided along ethnic and religious lines. And you said that religion should not be a factor. But it is indeed a factor in reality. So should we also blind our eyes to the fact that this is a factor and we must consider it whether we like it or not? All right. Let me take course to Nigeria constitution. Nigeria constitution is the grand norm for whatever we want to do politically. Qualification and what have you. Nigeria constitution 1999 as amended, amended does not recognize any religion. In fact, it stated that Nigeria is a circular state and on the strength of that religion that's why I said should not be the major point that we should be discussing. We should be concerned about the quality, capability, and ability of those to be put on to lead this country to the promised lands. Okay. Okay. I think that we're having a little bit. Let me say this. Okay. Quickly, because I think we're having a delay from you, but go ahead. In Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region, we have eminently qualified Christians. People could be vice presidential candidate of APC, but most of the time in terms of Nigerian politics, but the issue of election, I must be sensitive to the fact that Northern region is populated by Muslims and if you are looking towards winning an election, you must consider that factor. And what is more, in picking the battle candidate of APC, legion was not put in the front bonnet, rather merits integrity and what the person is bringing to the table has this country. I'm so sorry to talk over you. There's a delay, but I got the gist of what you're saying. So in one breath, and I'm tossing this now to Angu, in one breath, you're telling us that, oh, in the North, we have more Muslims, you know, in the North. It's highly populated, but we have more Muslims. But in that same breath, you're also saying that, well, when we're considering this vice presidential ticket, religion was not a thing. Two things that contradict themselves. Yes, you picked a Muslim, but you know, and that's because Muslims are, you know, the highest in the population. But then when we were picking a candidate, we didn't think about religion. Anyway, to you, Angu, I want you to explain to me why you think that whether we like it or not, religion is a factor. Again, Northeast elders have said that the ticket of the APC is a very divisive ticket. I want to know if you share that position. And just picking up from where Mr. Moyelay just, you know, dropped off, does this argument really hold water in the scheme of things? Angu, can you hear me? Can you hear me? Yes. Go ahead. Thank you very much. The Muslim ticket of the APC shows that they don't hear about how Nigerian will. It is a clear case of not feeling the pop of Nigerians. And it has shown in how the APC ran this country for the past seven plus years. They are dry, dry corner policies. And the people policies, policies that have not reflected on the web being of Nigerians. And that has reflected very clearly in their choice of running it. It has shown that it is a party that does not feel the cause of the... Because this is a government that the whole security architecture of this country, this appointment has come from one particular region. Not just coming from one particular region of this country, they are also from a particular religion. And if the APC is an extensive party, if it is a listening party, if the party cared for Nigerians, the party would have known that Muslim-Muslim tickets will not auger well for them. Just like we all know, there are very competent Christians. Like the one you mentioned, the former S.G.F. He is a competent Christian. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, right on Abu Dhabara, are very competent northern Christians. But then politics is a game of numbers. It's one thing to be competent. It's one thing to be able to cut across, to be able to win the elections in itself. And many have also made a case for the APC saying that, yes, you have people who are competent from the other religion, but how capable are they, I beg your pardon, to be able to garner the much-needed votes for the APC to win the election? I think that's also something that we should question. Thank you very much. I will not go into the debate of number, as much as it is very, very important in politics. But I must tell you that the whole of Saudi Arabia, the whole of a better part of Nubian, Kebi, Kanu, Adamawa, Bauti, Bwende, all of these states are mentioning about 45% Christians. And I know the media, the Niger media is not, our journalists are always not ready to do their job, to do investigative journalism, to know and maybe prove me wrong in what I'm saying. So even if it is a game of numbers, then I'm sorry, I don't need to do this. I don't need to do this, but I will do it. It's very, very, it's very, very pedestrian to refer to the media as not doing investigative journalism. It's very pedestrian to say that. But go ahead. Like I was saying, the Christians have done that. In Northern Nigeria, and still in the parts of the nation, the APC would have known that a Muslim-Muslim ticket would further in dividing this country. I mentioned before the appointment being made by the Bahá'u'lláh government. How they in there are taught towards a particular religion and people from a particular region. So if they really want to win even the Christians in Northern Nigeria, they just mentioned that it's not East Hell that said that ticket is divisive. And I would like to rest my case on that to say that the ticket of my party, the ticket of His Excellency, President in waiting, Alája, Tifu'a'buwaka, Tifu'a'buwaka, Tifu'a'buwaka, and the ticket is a ticket. That's Nigerians to vote. Because it's a ticket that unites all Nigeria. OK. Let me quickly, just to get a word in, because we're out of time. Mr. Amoyale, I beg your pardon. In a few words, In a few words, what can the APC do? I mean, it might be too late in the day, but this argument and mud slinging about the ticket, the Muslim-Muslim ticket has continuously dragged, even up until today. But then we also know, you and I know, that we're very divided along these lines. And now more than ever, there are tensions everywhere in the north and the south and the east in the middle belt. How does the APC hope to quell these tensions and blur the lines with this ticket, knowing that there's a lot that is flying on these 2023 elections or lots riding on these elections? That's a very good question. Now, we must understand one thing. When APC picked Ashwajibola Hamet in Ubu as its flag bearer and he submitted his name and that of his presidential flag bearer, so I knew and that person was a Muslim. There was no cry about Muslim-Muslim tickets. But in moments, Ashwajib... I think that we've lost that connection with you, Mr. Amoyale, but I want to thank you gentlemen. Amoyale Sharafa is a member of the APC and he's a human rights activist. I want to say thank you gentlemen. Unfortunately, the connection has been really bad tonight. But Amoyale Sharafa is a member of the APC and he's a human rights activist. I want to say thank you Angu-Angu. He's a special assistant to the Benway State Governor on Student Affairs and he's also part of the Atikwa-Bubakar presidential campaign. Thank you so much gentlemen. I wish we had enough time to address this issue. We wish we had enough time. Nigeria, go out there. Vote for the PDP. Vote for Alajia. We're not letting people campaign on the show gentlemen. We'll give you an invoice for that. But I want to say thank you everyone for being part of the conversation tonight. That's it on Plus Politics. I'm Mary Ann Ako. We'll be back tomorrow with a bumper package. Have a good evening.