The All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), said in Kaduna on Wednesday that it was part of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party antics to use religion to deceive Nigerians on the inevitable change they desire in the country ahead of the rescheduled March 28 presidential election.
Buhari said the PDP was only using religion, which he described as a “matter of personal conviction,” to divide the country.
The former Head of State, who spoke through the Vice Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at an inter-faith engagement in Kaduna on Wednesday, said, “And they have succeeded in making some of us victims of the tales, which they invent, propagate and sell as the gospel truth to gullible listeners; while it is all nothing but tissues of lies.”
Buhari noted that in spite of what detractors had said and still saying, he was not a religious fanatic of any sort “and I have never been.”
He added that he had no agenda to Islamise the country when elected president in the rescheduled presidential election.
He said, “I would like to solemnly declare that in spite of what detractors say, I am not a religious fanatic of any sort and I have never been.
“In all my life, I have never supported extremism of any kind, and nowhere in my record of service to our nation can this false toga, which political traducers have tried so hard to put on me, be substantiated.
“Let me state this categorically that, I, Muhammadu Buhari, as an individual, and as a president, if given the opportunity to serve, have no personal religious agenda. And will not entertain, consider or promote the religious agenda of anyone.
“I will not condone any initiative that seeks to promote one religion over the other. Neither I, nor my party, or any member of my team has any desire or plan to Islamise or Christianise Nigeria or support anyone with such intention.”
He said he was recently informed that that his administration as Head of State had a balanced cabinet with key positions such as Finance, Energy and Defence occupied by Christians, adding that 11 of the 19 governors he appointed were Christians.
Buhari said the most memorable recollections of subordinate service was under a Christian boss, whom he described as the finest the country had then and among the most respected today.
He added, “Indeed one of the best appraisals I received in the course of my military career was from General T.Y Danjuma.”
