The Tinubu Support Organisation has reacted to the backlash that has trailed the presence of some clergymen present at the unveiling of Kassim Shettima as the All Progressives Congress Vice Presidential candidate.
The APC has been criticised for allegedly ‘hiring fake bishops’ who are not Christians to attend the unveiling of Shettima at the Musa Yar’adua square in Abuja on Wednesday.
The support group however noted that the clergymen are Christians who are not famous yet because they are just ‘building their missions’.
In a statement by the group’s Director of Media and Public relations, Bayo Onanuga, the group maintained that the “clergymen were not fake, not mechanics or yam sellers” as been rumoured online.
The statement read, “Tinubu Campaign Organisation has described as unwarranted distractions the viral pictures and videos of some Christian clergymen and women at the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress Vice presidential candidate, Senator KASHIM SHETTIMA, on Wednesday in Abuja.
“APC formally presented Senator Shettima to the public and its various organs as the running mate to the party’s presidential standard-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the well-attended ceremony at Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
“The TCO through its Director of Media and Communication, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said the event was an open affair, which allowed members of the public to attend, including the clergymen and some others now being derided by hirelings of the opposition.
“We want to say that those clergymen were not fake, not mechanics or yam sellers as the purveyors of hatred have made Nigerians believe in the social media. They are not big names in Christendom yet, they are gradually building up their missions.
“They are church leaders who genuinely believe that Nigerians must eschew politics of hatred and religious bigotry and rather embrace politics of peace and nation building.
“We, therefore, deplore the hysterical twisting of the presence of these men and women in cassocks and the false accusation against our candidates, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Shettima.
“The orchestrated social media sensation over the presence of the men is needless and all calculated to detract from the huge success recorded at the momentous event on Wednesday.
“We believe Nigerians are too wise and discerning to see through this shenanigan. Asiwaju Tinubu, his running mate, and our great party are working very hard to provide purposeful leadership and good progressive governance that will improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
“We are well aware that the opposition parties and the sponsors of the social media charade are jittery and threatened by the intimidating political credentials of our candidates. The only way they hope to shift the attention of public scrutiny away from their uninspiring candidates and credentials is to create social media distraction.
“Our campaign is determined on focusing on core governance issues that affect all Nigerians with a view to confronting them and making the desired improvements in the standard of living of our people.”
