House speaker: Youth group clamours for religious balance, charges APC to back Olatubosun

A Socio Political Group under the auspices of Progressive Youths of Nigeria (PYN) has warned the All progressives Congress to desist from foisting an all- Muslim Leadership on Nigeria at the 9th NASS. 

The group in a statement made available to Mouthpiece NG on Sunday and signed by its national Public Relations Officer, Adekanmbi A.J, described the decision of the party leadership as an invitation to crises, adding that the Muslim- Muslim ticket will only set the country ablaze. 

PYN decried religious imbalance in the country- saying that Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and Idris belong to the same religion and should not be allowed to take the mantle of leadership because the country is a circular nation. 

While stressing that Mr Gbajabiamilla is not accessible, it further said that a Christian candidate should be considered to ensure religious balance in the country. 

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leadership of the APC to correct the perceived religious imbalance and earn Nigerians’ respect, it also appealed to the party to support the only Christian candidate from the South-West where the post has been zoned, Honourable Jide Olatubosun, with Hon. Umar Bago as his deputy.  

This was as it called on the members-elect in the House of Representatives to allow themselves to be guided by patriotism by electing Olatubosun speaker, whose emergence will not only ensure religious balance but also clear the doubt that the next National Assembly leadership will be a rubber stamp.

According to the group, the composition of the leadership structure of the country, where the president is a Muslim, the Chief Justice of Nigeria is a Muslim, the would-be Senate president is a Muslim and if the decision of the party to support Gbajabiamila sails through, the speaker and his deputy would be Muslims, cannot be said to be in the interest of peace and harmony in the country.

The group said the composition could allow views that plans were afoot to Islamise the country to gain popularity in some quarters, calling on the president and the APC leadership to shelve the idea of imposing a leadership that has “a tendency to add salt to injury and confirm the suspicion of the domination by a particular religion.”

“In order to bridge the gap already created in the leadership composition of this administration, the adoption of a Christian candidate as the speaker, such candidate whose conscience cannot be traded for the progress of Nigeria will be the best option.

“This arrangement will foster unity across board and reduce the tension of insensitivity to issues of national importance,” the group said.