APC Chieftain Says Christians Now Accept Muslim-Muslim Ticket for 2027
A senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has declared that Nigerian Christians are now more comfortable with the party’s Muslim‑Muslim presidential ticket than they were before the 2023 general election.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday, Aliyu commented on President Bola Tinubu’s decision to keep Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election.
Defending the Ticket Choice
Aliyu defended the move, stating that the APC leadership saw no reason to alter a ticket that had already secured victory in the last presidential contest.
He quoted the President: “Our leader, the President, decided in his wisdom not to change the winning ticket.”
According to Aliyu, “The Christians in this country are now comfortable, much, much more comfortable than when we first introduced the Muslim‑Muslim ticket.”
Addressing Past Concerns
He acknowledged that the APC faced strong criticism in 2023 for fielding two Muslim candidates, with many fearing that Christians would be sidelined or treated unfairly.
Aliyu recalled the public outcry: “That was when there was a lot of hue and cry that the Christians were going to be marginalised.”
He added, “Well, now it’s history that nobody is being marginalised along religious lines.”
Leadership Without Religious Bias
The APC chieftain emphasized that President Tinubu has governed as a Nigerian leader, not as a figure defined by any religious affiliation.
“President Tinubu has been leading this country as a Nigerian, not anybody with any religious toga,” Aliyu said.
Party Satisfaction and Electoral Outlook
Aliyu expressed the party’s satisfaction with retaining Shettima, warning that a change could have introduced fresh internal political challenges ahead of the 2027 election.
He stated, “Now it is our own decision, the party, of course, through the leader, to retain Kashim Shettima. We are very happy that the ticket has not been tinkered with, so that we, as a party, don’t have to start thinking what next to do.”
Looking forward, Aliyu expressed confidence that Nigerians will once again back the Tinubu‑Shettima ticket in 2027.
“We’ve tried it when it was hectic, when it seemed impossible, and Nigerians believed in us, gave us the chance, and we are doing it again. And we hope Nigerians will believe in us and give us a chance again with the Muslim‑Muslim ticket,” he concluded.
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