A prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has said many Christians who initially opposed the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket have become more accepting of the arrangement following the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Aliyu made the remarks during an interview on ARISE Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday while discussing President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the President’s choice to maintain the Tinubu-Shettima partnership was based on the success of their 2023 campaign and the confidence they have built among Nigerians since assuming office.
He noted that the Muslim-Muslim ticket attracted widespread criticism before the 2023 election, with many Nigerians, particularly Christians, expressing fears that the arrangement could lead to religious imbalance in government and the exclusion of Christians from key positions.
However, Aliyu argued that events over the past few years have shown those concerns to be unfounded. He maintained that the administration has demonstrated inclusiveness and has not governed along religious lines.
The APC chieftain said the President has approached governance from a national perspective, insisting that Tinubu has focused on serving all Nigerians regardless of their faith or background.
He added that the administration’s record has helped reassure many Christians who were previously sceptical about the ticket, saying public perception has changed significantly since the last general election.
Aliyu also defended the decision to retain Vice President Shettima for the 2027 race, describing it as a strategic move aimed at preserving stability within the ruling party. He said changing a ticket that had already delivered victory could have created unnecessary political uncertainty and internal distractions.
According to him, the APC leadership believes the Tinubu-Shettima combination remains the strongest option for the next election and sees no reason to alter a partnership that has already proven successful at the polls.
He expressed optimism that Nigerians would once again support the ticket in 2027, arguing that the administration deserves another opportunity to continue its programmes and policies.
Aliyu said the party remains confident that voters will judge the government based on its performance rather than the religious identities of its candidates. He maintained that the APC’s focus is on governance and national development, not religious considerations.
The APC’s decision to field two Muslim candidates in the 2023 presidential election sparked intense debate across the country, with several religious organisations, political observers and civil society groups questioning whether the ticket reflected Nigeria’s religious diversity.
Despite the controversy, Tinubu and Shettima won the election and were sworn into office in May 2023. Since then, supporters of the administration have repeatedly argued that fears of religious discrimination have not materialised.
With President Tinubu confirming Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election, the ruling party has chosen to maintain the same presidential ticket, signalling its confidence that the partnership remains politically viable despite the debate that surrounded it during the previous election cycle.
