A political pressure group, Nigeria’s Progress Volunteers Group (NPVG) on Monday admonished Nigerians of voting age to focus attention on the presidential candidates’ antecedents if they are desirous of positive change in the polity.
The NPVG in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Chief Ismaila Abimbola decried the ongoing debates about religious persuasions of candidates jostling to be president and running mates in a country that’s largely heterogeneous.
According to the group, some religious leaders are too egocentric and self-serving in their calls for religious balancing, though very desirable but religions have never helped the nation to grow.
“Since 1999 till date, those ruling this nation were either Christians or Muslims, yet there have been gross underdevelopment in the country with growing and heightened insecurity, poverty and mind boggling corruption leaving Nigerians more exasperated and troubled with no hope of a better tomorrow.
“Why are we like this as a people? Religious leaders have even advertised their ignorance about politicking to a now sobering level of asking members to bring their PVCs to Churches.
“The choice between Nigerians is to support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress with a probable same religion Northerner as running mate. A running mate with chequered history of performance who will fast track developments like the ones being witnessed in Borno and Lagos States or someone whose, despite opportunities entrusted in his care, his people are still within the lowest rung of poverty index in this country?
“The time now is to talk less on religion, but focus more on what a particular political party’s joint ticket is capable of bringing to the table of traumatized citizens who deserve good governance through transformation of our public works, reformation in the transportation and agricultural sectors, leap in education, quality healthcare delivery, and financial re-engineering to shore up nation’s economy for the better”.
