Nollywood actor turned politician, Kenneth Okonkwo has resigned his membership from the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the ruling party’s decision to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
Kenneth Okonkwo Dump APC Over Tinubu’s VP
KanyiDaily recalls that APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu had picked his fellow Muslim, Kashim Shettima, a former Borno State Governor, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
Reacting in a statement shared on his Instagram page, the former actor said “I just resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.
“May God deliver Nigeria from the hands of power grabbers who elevate the quest for power above the quest for purpose. God bless you and Barka da Sallah to our Muslim brothers.”
The statement partly reads, “If Muslims could voluntarily vote for southern presidents it is then a fallacy to insinuate that they cannot accept a northern Christian vice president,” part of the statement read.
“This will permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria if allowed to stand. This is in the addition to the failure to protect lives and properties of Nigerians which should be their primary responsibility. The country is also in shatters.
“Being the convener of the Campaign for Equity and Justice in Nigeria, and as a former member of APC Presidential Campaign Council, which resisted same religion presidential ticket in the past, I can no longer continue to lend my name to these abnormalities in the interest of mutual peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country, Nigeria.
“I, therefore, resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress to enable me focus on building the Nigeria of our dream with the motto: Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.”
Meanwhile, an Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark said Bola Tinubu’s decision to take a fellow Muslim as his running mate is part of “dangerous signals” that would further worsen the sharp division in the country.
