Tinubu’s same-faith ticket reignites debate across Northern Nigeria ahead of 2027:

…Performance, inclusion divide opinions

The controversy over the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket began in 2022 after the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, announced Kashim Shettima, former Borno State governor, also a Muslim, as his running mate for the 2023 election.

The decision departed from Nigeria’s long-standing tradition of balancing presidential tickets along religious lines and immediately sparked widespread criticism from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Middle Belt Forum and several Christian leaders, who argued that it sidelined Christians despite the country’s religious diversity.

Among the strongest critics was Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who addressed the APC Northern Christian Leaders Summit in July 2022. He declared that the same-faith ticket would be resisted politically and spiritually, saying: “Clearly, there is an agenda to politically, religiously and economically suppress and oppress Northern Christians. But we are up to the task. We will protect ourselves. The PVC and our prayers will be our weapons of choice and we will massively deploy them in 2023.”

Lawal rejected the argument that competence alone informed the choice of Shettima, insisting the decision reflected a deliberate political agenda.

“The main purpose of this historical narrative is to let you know that for the APC, a Muslim-Muslim ticket has been a long-term political strategy and not a one-off decision. Thus, all this talk of competence as the reason for the choice of the Muslim vice-presidential candidate is balderdash and diversionary. This is a calculated anti-Christian exclusion agenda that is being implemented,” he said.

He also questioned why the APC had not sought dialogue with aggrieved Christian groups, asking: “Why is the APC itself mute about our rejection of this Muslim-Muslim ticket? Why has none of the other perpetrators of this crisis reached out to Christians for dialogue?… Truly, things are not adding up.”

Concluding his position, Lawal said Christians viewed the same-faith ticket as “a deliberate and premeditated attempt to introduce and firmly entrench religion into the politics of this country,” warning that it could “lead to further disharmony in the hitherto fragile coexistence of Nigerian society, disrupt peace and hamper both social and economic development of the country.”

Despite the widespread opposition, Tinubu and Shettima went on to win the 2023 presidential election, making the Muslim-Muslim ticket the first to produce a victorious presidential pair since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

Nearly four years later, the issue has resurfaced following President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election.

Unlike the intense backlash that greeted the announcement in 2022, reactions have so far been relatively subdued, although dissenting voices remain, especially among some Christian leaders and groups in the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria.

Political observers say the debate has softened because Nigerians have now experienced the Tinubu-Shettima administration for one term, shifting attention toward its record on the economy, security and governance, even as questions over religious balance and inclusivity continue to feature in discussions ahead of the 2027 poll.

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Muted reaction to Shettima’s renomination shows Nigerians have moved beyond religious politics — Plateau APC spokesman

Wumanna Bako, publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, has said the relatively muted reaction to President Bola Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election indicates that Nigerians have moved beyond the religious concerns that dominated public discourse in 2022.

Bako, in a telephone interview with BusinessDay in Jos, said unlike the strong opposition from Christian groups and other stakeholders that greeted the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2023 election, there has been no significant backlash following Shettima’s renomination, suggesting that Nigerians are now placing greater emphasis on leadership and performance than religious considerations.

“President Tinubu has shown that leadership supersedes religious differences. The Muslim-Muslim ticket was heavily criticised in the past, but he has demonstrated that leadership is about performance, and I believe he has performed.

Nigerians are now comfortable with him. For those who think they can still use religion as a political tool, that era is over. Nigerians have accepted the nomination of Vice President Kashim Shettima because they are satisfied with what the President is doing,” Bako said.

Speaking with BusinessDay, Victor Majekodunmi Akure, presiding bishop of Turning Point Faith Arena Ministry in Kano and Abuja, described Shettima’s re-nomination as a strategic political move that could strengthen Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Akure said the decision comes at a time when many Christians, particularly in Northern Nigeria, are demanding greater equity, justice and inclusion in governance.

According to him, the experience of the Tinubu administration since assuming office on a Muslim-Muslim ticket has eased the concerns initially expressed by many Christians ahead of the 2023 general election.

He argued that the administration’s approach to appointments and the distribution of public offices has reflected a measure of ethno-religious balance, reducing fears that Christians would be marginalised under the arrangement.

“The government has been considerate in making appointments and allocating public offices. This has helped to reassure many Christians that a Muslim-Muslim presidency does not necessarily translate into unfair treatment,” Akure said.

The cleric, who also serves as deputy chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Kano State chapter, stressed that Nigerians are now more concerned with the quality of leadership than the religious composition of the presidency.

He urged political leaders to focus on building an inclusive government that accommodates all citizens regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

Akure also called on the federal government to intensify efforts to tackle the country’s worsening security challenges, particularly in Northern Nigeria, saying effective leadership should prioritise the protection of lives and property while fostering national unity.

Katsina Varsity Don urges Tinubu to deepen inclusion after retaining Shettima

Musa Daniel, an Associate Professor of Plant Science and Biotechnology at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, has described Tinubu’s retention of Shettima as politically understandable, despite concerns among some northern Christians over the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Daniel, a Christian from northern Nigeria, said while he was “not completely happy” with the decision, it was in the interest of the ruling party and aimed at preserving political stability ahead of the elections. According to him, replacing the vice president at this stage could have heightened political tension in the North and created an opportunity for opposition parties to exploit the situation.

“As a Christian from the North, I am not completely happy, but in the interest of the party, it is a welcome idea. Tension is already high in the northern part, and if Mr. President had replaced his running mate now, it would undoubtedly have increased the tension. If I were in his shoes, I would end up doing the same thing because, for politicians, what is more important is winning elections,” Daniel said.

The university lecturer recalled that many northern Christians initially opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 elections due to fears of religious domination and exclusion. However, he noted that President Tinubu’s appointments since assuming office had helped to reduce those concerns by giving qualified northern Christians key positions in government.

“We were very skeptical in 2023 because of fears of domination and exclusion, but Mr. President was able to allay our fears through his appointments. We have seen northern Christians given very sensitive offices, showing that the intention was to win an election and not to promote religious domination,” he stated.

Daniel urged the President to continue strengthening national unity through inclusive governance as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

“I have to be fair to Mr. President. If I were in his shoes, I would do the same thing he has done, but that does not mean there will not be anger in the North. I will urge Mr. President to do more by sustaining and expanding the inclusive approach he has demonstrated over the past three years of his administration,” he said.

Nicholas Uwerunonye, a Christian and public affairs analyst in Ilorin, Kwara State, said the impact of a Muslim-Muslim ticket on President Bola Tinubu’s re-election chances would depend on whether his administration is perceived as favouring Muslims.

He said: “Whether it will affect his chances depends on if Tinubu’s administration has been overtly pro-Muslim. To a very large extent, the APC government under Tinubu has been religiously neutral, at least when compared to the tenure of his predecessor, the late Muhammadu Buhari.

“In my opinion, Tinubu probably believes that the core North does not see him as their ideal Muslim. He works closely with a very influential First Lady, while Vice President Kashim Shettima has remained largely in the background.

Similarly, Taiwo Ogunwale, another Christian resident of Ilorin, said the President’s decision to retain a Muslim-Muslim ticket was a personal political calculation.

“The President has made his choice in adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket for reasons best known to him. The same strategy was used in the 2023 election, and it succeeded.

To me, what matters most is good governance.

The government should focus on delivering on its promises and meeting the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians,” he said.

Also speaking, Michael Felix, a public affairs commentator argued that religion was unlikely to determine the outcome of the next presidential election.

“The Muslim-Muslim ticket under the Tinubu administration is not a new development. It was adopted in 2023, and the incumbent won the election despite concerns over diversity and inclusiveness, particularly in terms of religious representation.

“I do not think the decision will substantially alter his electoral prospects. If he wins or loses, it is more likely to be based on his performance and track record in office rather than on issues of religious exclusion,” Felix said.

The Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum (NENF) and other Christian-based northern organisations urged President Bola Tinubu and the APC to adopt a more religiously balanced ticket if the party hopes to retain broad national support. The groups argue that while the Muslim-Muslim ticket secured victory in 2023, repeating the strategy could prove politically costly in 2027.

The NENF, led by Dominic Alancha, said national unity, justice and electoral viability demand a ticket that reflects Nigeria’s religious diversity. The forum warned that another same-faith ticket could weaken the APC in politically strategic states across the Middle Belt, including Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory, where religious balance often plays a significant role in voting behaviour.

Similarly, the Christian Media Forum (CMF) recently expressed concern over reports suggesting the continuation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, arguing that such a decision would reinforce perceptions of exclusion among Northern Christians and undermine confidence in inclusive governance.

Benue citizens condemn Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, allege suppression of Christians
Several persons in Benue State have condemned President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, describing it as an attempt to suppress Christianity in the country.

Some of the citizens who spoke to BusinessDay across party lines said since the return of democracy in 1999, the presidency has rotated between Christians and Muslims.

They added that since the emergence of Tinubu as president, he pushed out Christians out of the presidential ticket.

Those who spoke include Shamange Iorliam of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Chiahemba Salem of the Labour Party, LP; and Ngumimi Asen.

They said in the interest of fairness and national unity, the president ought to have chosen a Christian running mate.

“Even though he didn’t do that in his first term, he would have done it in his second term. But doing it now has only exposed his hatred for Christians,” they said.

The respondents also accused the president of showing bias in the fight against insecurity, which they said is mostly affecting Christian-dominated communities.

Citing Benue as an example, they referenced the killing of Ardo Risky Mohammed, state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, and said that the Federal Government immediately issued a statement condemning the killing and directed security agencies to go after the perpetrators.

They, however, noted that days later, a professor and his 19-year-old brother were allegedly killed by one Abdullahi, suspected to be a Fulani man from Nasarawa State, who was arrested with the professor’s phones. According to them, there was no condemnation from the Federal Government and no directive to security agencies.

“So, our belief is that what is happening in Benue is political because the state is one of the Christian-dominated states in the country with a lot of mineral resources,” they said.

“From what we are seeing in the country, there is no one that can stand firm to condemn any wrongdoing. What is happening now is everybody to himself. But posterity will always judge the oppressors and those who had the opportunity to right the wrong but refused to do so,” they added.

As the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum, President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Shettima has once again thrust the same-faith ticket into national discourse. While the fierce opposition that characterised the debate in 2022 has noticeably eased, opinions remain divided between those who see the issue as settled by the administration’s record and those who insist that religious inclusivity remains vital to Nigeria’s unity.

Ultimately, whether the Muslim-Muslim ticket becomes a decisive electoral factor in 2027 is likely to depend less on its religious composition than on voters’ assessment of the Tinubu administration’s performance on the economy, security and governance.