By Ifreke Inyang

A former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, has said he hopes Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential candidate for next year’s election, is not treated like the late Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election.

Ladoja made this remark shortly after this year’s Eid-el-Kabir prayers at his Bodija, Ibadan country home, Oyo State.

Abiola, who won the June 12 presidential election in 1993, died in prison in July 1998 while struggling to reclaim his mandate from the late military dictator, Sani Abacha.

Ladoja said, “There are many factors involved in electing President. Whoever wants to be president and those working for him have to work very hard.

“In fact, they will need more prayers as they are consulting. With all these efforts, God has the final say on who becomes president. Chief MKO Abiola who was a Muslim was elected along with his vice, a Muslim.

“We only pray that if Tinubu wins, it would not turn out like that of late MKO Chief Abiola. I don’t see anything wrong in a Muslim-Muslim ticket because I don’t intervene in religious matters.

“Muslims and Christians are from the same father. Some people are following Ismael while some are following Isaac which are siblings. So, what is now my own to be fighting for one among them? Even I don’t have time to fight with traditionalists.”