By Veteran Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the party’s decision to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 elections.
On Sunday, the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu finally named Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate, after weeks of speculations and wait.
The same-faith ticket has since sparked mixed reactions in the polity, as some stakeholders slammed the ruling party for the move despite initial criticisms.
Reacting to the now-controversial decision, Okonkwo announced his resignation from the APC in a letter dated July 11th, 2022 and addressed to the party chairman in Nkpunano Ward, Nsukka, Enugu State.
The actor shared a copy of his resignation letter on his Instagram page on Monday.
Okonkwo, a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, noted that the party’s decision to offer its vice-presidential slot to a Muslim Northerner would permanently destroy the political viability of Northern Christians in Nigeria.
“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. This is in addition to their failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, which should be their primary responsibility. The economy is also in tatters,” the letter reads in part.
“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 mutual peaceful co-existence, integration and progress of our beloved country, Nigeria.
“I, therefore, resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress to criable me focus on building the Nigeria of our dream with the motto: Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.”
Okonkwo’s resignation comes barely 24 hours after the senator representing Adamawa North, Ishaku Abbo resigned his membership of a Tinubu support group over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.
