By Chigozie Chuks
Veteran Nollywood Actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress in protest over the party’s decision to fly a Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket for the 2023 election.
Okonkwo announced his decision in a letter shared on his Instagram page on Monday which Nigerian Kicker accessed.
He said his decision became imperative following Tinubu’s choice of Shettima as running mate despite clamour from stakeholders and other Nigerians that a Northerner Christian should complement the party’s ticket.
“Recall that I joined the APC because of its Constitutional vow, as true Progressives and Patriots, to eliminate all forms of discrimination and social injustice in Nigeria, thereby building a nation which will guarantee equal opportunity for all and ensure mutual and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.
“Those ideals are now alien to the APC, with their unfortunate decision to paint our Muslim brothers in bad light, by insinuating that the Muslims in Nigeria will not accept or vote for a Northern Christian as Vice-President to pair with a Southern Muslim.
“If Muslims could vote voluntarily for Southern Christian Presidents, it is then a fallacy to insinuate that they cannot accept a Northern Christian Vice-President. This will permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria, if allowed to stand.
“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 our peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country,” the letter reads.
