Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Mr Osita Okechukwu, says Northern Christians would not vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Okechukwu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said this while answering questions from journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

Reacting to the Northern Christians outrage over APC’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Mr Okechukwu said he shared their anguish on identity politics and fears.

“But I know that in the fullness of time, contrary to the speculations of spin doctors, they would not vote for the former Vice President,” he said.

He assured that whatever marginalisation the northern Christians suffered today, they would suffer no more if the APC standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu becomes the President in 2023.

“Our first slogan in APC is change. Our mantra is change. We will not remain static, never. We will change whatever is not working. All we ask Nigerians is to give us another 8 years as you gave our sister political party, the PDP.

“Regarding the Northern Christians outrage over APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket; if any pundit thinks they will vote for Atiku, my answer is ‘Capital No’. No matter what, they know he is bringing nothing new to the table.

“Find out, Northern Christians do not trust Atiku. They know his cherry-picking antics as per rule of law and rotation convention. They also know his ambivalence on religion, as demonstrated in the late Deborah’s imbroglio in Sokoto, which is still fresh in the mind of every Christian.

“Secondly, they know that Tinubu and by extension the Yorubas’ DNA is devoid of religious extremism and bigotry. Yorubas celebrate Eid and Xmas together,” Mr Okechukwu said.

Speaking further, Mr Okechukwu said: “Yes, faith balance is very important in building bonds of inclusion, so is rotation convention which bonds north and south, and cements inclusion and corporate existence. This is why I continue to salute APC’s northern governors, majority of whom unlike PDP’s governors by this noble patriotism, restored equity, natural justice and national loyalty in our clime.

“If PDP Governors had obeyed rotation convention from north to south, to be honest there wouldn’t be the imperative of APC’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket. They cannot benefit from their negligence. I stand to be contradicted,” Mr Okechukwu stated emphatically.

On the anger of the northern Christians over a seeming premeditated plan to exclude all Christians in both the APC party structure and government, Mr Okechukwu maintained that he shares their plight, assuring that such marginalisation would not repeat itself under Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president.

NAN