An Islamic group, Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC), has advised Nigerians to vote for competent leaders and eschew primordial sentiments.

MULAC also urged Muslim youths to participate actively in the electioneering process of the 2023 general elections.

A communique issued after a summit by MULAC’s chairman, Sirajuddeen Abdulaziz, said the call was to reawaken Muslim youths’ consciousness for active participation in politics.

He added that the summit had over 200 participants drawn from Islamic organisations from the country’s six geopolitical zones.

It discussed the Muslim-Muslim ticket and its attendant media hype, especially within the mainstream media and enlightened on their roles as responsible citizens towards nation-building, especially in electing credible and capable leaders.

“Muslim-Muslim ticket is a child of necessity; same faith ticket has for long been a norm in the state administration of this country. Christian-Muslim tickets at state administration have always been an exception,” stated the communique. “Same faith ticket is not new at the federal level as it started since the inception of the first Republic by Dr Nnamdi Azikwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the duo had fellow Christians as their running mate.”

The APC Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima has generated uproar within the ruling party and other sections of the country.

Mr Abdulaziz called on Muslims not just to practise the faith by appearance and names but by actions and engagement, urging “Muslims should go and collect their Permanent Voter Cards and be determined to vote wisely in the next general elections.”

He also called on elders of the Muslim community to engage the presidential candidates and be part of the electioneering process to avoid being sidelined when the governance finally kicked off.

“We must learn to identify our Muslim Icons so as to recommend their effort and celebrate them,” he added.

(NAN)