The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has urged Nigerians to focus more on the value a candidate has to deliver than his religion, adding that religion does not guarantee development.
This follows the outcry caused by the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that has been a major issue of discourse since the announcement.
During the 14th Annual Hijrah Lecture organised by the Assembly on Wednesday, the Speaker said several leaders in Asia do not have a particular religion but have taken their countries to great heights
“In countries like India, Singapore, China, most of the democratic states in Asia and some other parts of the world where neither Islam nor Christianity is being practised, good governance is seen all around them,” he said.
Obasa noted that even in Africa, before the advent of both Islam and Christianity, there was a good and steady democratic setting with traditional beliefs.
“It is now worrisome, however, that we allow religion to dictate to us how democracy should be practised,” he said.
The speaker argued that the spiritual core of democratic governance is the obligation to serve the people with godly principles and noble objectives.
He told citizens to focus on whoever will be fair, just, visionary and can identify good people to work with to achieve success, not religion.
Obama further tasked religious bodies to deploy their spiritual energies in not only undermining the negative forces of nepotism but in positively enhancing the development of Nigeria.
“Whether the political party contesting is running on Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket and otherwise, our focus should be the good intentions of the contestants,” he added.