By Adeleye Kunle
Chief Ayirimi Emami, a Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, has chastised politicians who oppose the APC’s presidential/vice presidential ticket in the 2023 election.
He claimed that some prominent politicians, including governors and National Assembly members from opposing parties, who have criticized the Bola Ahmed Tinubu/ Kashim Shettima ticket on religious grounds “are just pretending to be Christians, because they rig elections and go to church for thanksgiving to cover up their misdeeds.”
Chief Emami made the remarks yesterday while inspecting the progress of work at his APC pressure group campaign office in Warri, which is dedicated to the realization of Tinubu/Shettima presidency and Omo-Agege/Osanebi governorship bids.
He stated that his Christian parents taught him that Christianity is based primarily on showing genuine love to people, rather than preaching segregation and hatred as politicians do for their own selfish interests.
Rather than wasting energy on diversionary politicking under the guise of being Christian faithful, the Warri chief and businessman believes that politicians and other stakeholders should question the personalities and antecedents of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, ex-governors of Lagos and Borno states, respectively, and compare them to candidates of opposition political parties.
“Competence, as represented by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu/ Kashim Shettima ticket, is what Nigeria needs from 2023, not the propagation of narratives that are antithetical to the country’s reasonable peace and development.”
“Is it the Muslim-Muslim ticket that has kept Warri, Sapele, Koko, and Burutu ports closed for so long?” Or is it religious sentiment that has prevented the Niger Delta Ministry, NDDC, DESOPADEC, and other relevant government MDAs from carrying out their mandates?
critical infrastructures such as the Koko-Ogheye Road, the Omadino-Escravos Road, shore protection, and land reclamation projects in the Niger Delta’s oil and gas coastal communities, particularly in Delta State?
“Or was it the Muslim-Muslim ticket that resulted in the wasteful abandonment of the multibillion-naira Gas Revolution Industrial Park, GRIP project at Ogidigben in Ugborodo, Warri South – West Local Government Area?” “Need we remind anyone of several other critical infrastructural projects in Warri Kingdom and other parts of the Niger Delta that have suffered neglect in the past, despite the fact that we had Presidents, Vice Presidents, Ministers, and heads of relevant MDAs who professed Christianity?” Chief Emami inquired.
He urged Nigerians to begin questioning candidates on their plans for the country rather than their religion or ethnicity.
“The point is, let’s start judging people based on their abilities, not their religious beliefs.” I can confidently tell anyone who will listen that His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has promised me that he will repair government-owned refineries, ensure the start-up of modular refineries in riverine areas and other parts of the country, fully operationalize Warri and other Delta State ports, address issues of land reclamation and protection in our coastal communities, and restart the GRIP project at Ogidigben, among other critical projects.
