Says people are now wiser
From John Adams, Minna
Ahead of the Saturday governorship election in Niger state, the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Hon Isah Liman Kantigi, has described as myopic and baseless, the statewide campaign by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state against his choice of picking a Christian as his running mate, saying that such religious campaign will not safe the party from defeat in the forthcoming governorship election on Saturday.
The PDP governorship candidate said his decision to pick a Christian running mate was based on equity, justice and fairness in a multi religious state like Niger, pointing out that “politics is about what you have to offer the people. We should not bring religion into politics because religion is in the heart and should not be brought into politics.”
Speaking in Minna during an interactive session with newsmen ahead of the next Saturday governorship and house of assembly elections in the state, the two time local governmnent local chairman in the state warned the people of the state not leave the state in the hands of those who thinkless about the plight of the ordinary people but want to use religion to get to power.
“Those using religion as a campaign tool can not safe the APC from defeat in the governorship election on Saturday because are more aware now than before and can not be deceived anymore.”
According to Kantigi, his choice of a Christian running mate was not only based on equity, justice and afirness but because of his running mate track record of achievement as also a two time local government Chairman in the state, in addition his wealth of experience in politics at the grassroot man.
Speaking further, the former Commissioner for Local Governement, Community Development and Chieftancy Affair, said “in the last eigth has Muslim-Muslim ticket under the APC government improved the lives of the people, has the Muslim-Muslim ticket stop poverty among the people, has it stop banditry and other forms of terrorism in the state, has it enhance infrastructural developmen in the state, are the civil servants and pensioners under Muslim-Muslim ticket better so far”, he queried.
He appealed to the people not allow anybody deceive them with religious biasness, stressing that Niger State at this critical time needs someone with experience, track record of achievements with sense of maturity, adding that “we must stop religious biasness that has not improve the standard of living of the people in anyway. It is what you have to offer the people that matters at this critical time and not religion, those who preach religion have little or nothing to offer in politics”.
He called on the people to come out emass on Saturday to vote with their conscience, stressing that “we want to re-write the wrong of APC administration in the state. The state in dear need of development and that is what should be our main focus and religion”.
Kantigi however reminded those insisting on a Muslim-Muslim ticket that Niger state is a multi-religious state with Islam and Christianity as the dominant religion and therefore “it only fair to observe the law of justice and equity.”