Senator Kashim Shettima, the Vice President-elect, addressed fears on Saturday that he and his principle, Bola Tinubu, have an agenda to Islamize Nigeria.
Since Tinubu named Shettima as his running mate last year, several organisations and individuals have expressed differing opinions, with some claiming that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is a plan to Islamize Nigeria.
Speaking during a lecture in Abuja as part of the ceremonies leading up to Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, the incoming Vice President allayed such anxieties, claiming there was no plan to Islamize Africa’s most populous country.
Tinubu, according to Shettima, is a Muslim who is married to a Christian and pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“I was a child of necessity, there is no Islamisation agenda. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a Muslim who is married to a Christian, not only a Christian but a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“Someone who has not Islamised his family, people are alluding that he has the intention to Islamise the nation,” he added.
The Vice President-elect said that he chose an Igbo man of Catholic faith as his Chief Security Officer on purpose.
A Northerner was also chosen as his security aide, and he stated that his decision was based on togetherness and inclusivity.
“Politics is about perception. As we begin the formation of a new administration, I deliberately picked an Igbo man, a Catholic, to be my Chief Security Officer,” he stated.
“For the purpose of inclusivity and togetherness, again I deliberately picked a Northern Christian to be my ADC. So the so-called founder of Boko Haram is going to be protected by…”
