Former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has stated that there is nothing wrong with a political party presenting a presidential candidate and running mate who share the same religion.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Kwankwaso said in 1993 presidential election Abiola was the SDP presidential candidate, while Babagana Kingibe was his running mate, and both were Muslims.
Kwankwaso said the arrangement did not generate religious controversy at the time. Instead, he said Nigerians focused on the candidates’ competence, popularity and other positive qualities. He added that both Muslims and Christians openly campaigned and worked together in support of the Abiola-Kingibe ticket.
In Kwankwaso’s words: “Ordinarily there is nothing wrong with Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket. In fact we did that during the SDP days when we in the SDP fielded MKO Abiola as our candidate and Babagana Kingibe as his running mate. Nobody shouted, nobody talked about religion. At that time people were talking of competence and popularity and so many other positive things”.
