Kaduna NNPP governorship candidate faults religious bodies’ endorsement of politicians

The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Kaduna State, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, has warned residents to be wary of candidates deploying religion or tribal sentiments ahead of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

Hunkuyi also faulted the endorsement of candidates by religious bodies and queried the rationale behind some governorship candidates jostling for clerics to endorse them for the forthcoming poll.

He added that using religion or tribal antics in a complex state such as Kaduna for electioneering was dangerous to democracy.

Speaking to newsmen in Kaduna on Saturday, Hunkuyi said eligible voters must shun divisive politics and vote for a credible candidate that will move the state forward in terms of development.

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The governorship hopeful noted that he stood for an inclusive government that would carry everybody along irrespective of age, religion and tribe when elected as governor.

He noted that claims and counterclaims by both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state that their candidates were endorsed by some clerics were just to deceive the electorate.

He said, “I think you are aware of a letter by the Kaduna State’s Christian Association of Nigeria’s chairman, which endorsed the PDP governorship candidate. We also have an audio where some Muslim clergymen have also endorsed the candidate of APC for the governorship election in Kaduna State.

“Where do we go from here where a governor that will emerge after the poll will be tagged a governor for Christians or a governor for Muslims in this metropolitan state?”

Hunkuyi urged voters to reject candidates adopting religion or tribal sentiments for purpose of canvassing for votes in the forthcoming election.

“Kaduna State is known as the centre of learning; therefore, I don’t expect any sensible person whether citizen or resident of the state to be carried away by religious and tribal sentiments,” he said.

Hunkuyi, who claimed to be more experienced and knowledgeable in terms of the complexity of the state than other candidates vying for the position of the governor of Kaduna State, also dismissed allegations he was also running on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The NNPP governorship aspirant said he believes in the oneness of the state “where nobody is treated as a second class citizen for the purpose of peace and unity; progress, growth and development.”