A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State, and candidate for Eket federal constituency, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, has insisted that the challenges plaguing Nigeria, ranging from insecurity, to poverty, and dwindling fortunes, are not as a result of religion.
Eyiboh made the assertion in Uyo, while reacting to the ongoing controversy trailing the choice of former governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shetima, a Muslim, as the APC vice presidential candidate to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC, who is also a Muslim.
Hailing the combination of Tinubu and Shettima for the Presidency, Eyiboh stressed that Nigerians should remove the issue of religion from the country’s governance.
He added that the issue of corruption also does not arise because of religion, noting that in countries such as India, China and Korea, no one says that their prosperity and growth are as a result of religion.
He said, “When we talk about Muslim-Muslim ticket, the question we must answer is: Is Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes, insecurity, poverty rating, content growth caused by religion? The answer, in my considered opinion, is no.
“The issue of corruption, is it as a result of religion? The answer is no. Religion is critical to the extent that we have played religion and ethnicity into the affairs of governance.
“If you go to places such as India, China, Japan and Korea, would you say that prosperity and growth are consequences of religion? No. So, we should dethrone the issue of religion in our governance.”
Eyiboh emphasized that what Nigeria needs to come out of her present critical state is transformational leadership.
He enthused, “Nigeria needs transformational leadership, regardless of tribe, religion and primordial sentiments. Nigeria needs leadership that will be able to transform this country to where we will grow, have opportunities and where people will have trust and ownership in governance.”
