Kashim Shettima, vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nigerians concern and priority now should be how to get the country back on the path of greatness and prosperity.
He noted that the fixation on the same faith ticket presented by his party is a misplaced priority.
Shettima and Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the APC, are both Muslims.
The ticket has sparked widespread criticism from Nigerians, including members of the ruling party.
Speaking with journalists on Thursday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock villa, Shettima said in 2011, there wasn’t opposition to the Muslim-Muslim ticket presented by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the time.
Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Fola Adeola, founder of GTBank, were the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the ACN in 2011 — they are both Muslims.
Speaking on the APC’s ticket, Shettima added that making the country great is the priority of his party.
“In 2011, the presidential candidate and the vice-presidential candidates of the ACN, both of them were Muslims. Nobody raised an eyebrow,” the former governor of Borno said.
“Now, the opposition has seen a winning combination and they are petrified, deep down to the marrow of their bones.
“We will not trade in insults, lies and mischief. We have established a track record of excellence. Let our opponents show what they have done in their respective states. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s discuss issues.
“How to propel this nation to greatness is more important than playing on the sentiments of Nigerians. Poverty knows no religion or ethnicity. Insecurity knows no religion or ethnicity.”