2027: Parties React To Tinubu, Shettima’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election has stirred reactions over the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket, with political parties and stakeholders speaking on competence and religious balance in leadership choices.

Naija News reports that the development followed the APC’s confirmation on Friday that Tinubu and Shettima would again fly the party’s presidential ticket, ending months of speculation that the President could replace his deputy with a Northern Christian.

The announcement has revived discussions that dominated the build-up to the 2023 general election, when Tinubu, a Muslim from the South-West, selected Shettima, a Muslim from the North-East, as his running mate.

Although critics argued at the time that the same-faith ticket upset Nigeria’s religious balance, the APC went on to win the presidential election.

Reacting to the development, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said the focus of the 2027 election should be leadership competence rather than religious identity.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ejimofor Opara, who spoke with Punch, urged Nigerians to judge candidates by their performance and capacity to govern.

“Competence should remain the defining issue in 2027, not whether candidates are Muslims or Christians,” he said.

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) expressed a similar position, arguing that integrity, competence and accountability should take precedence over ethnicity or religion.

Its spokesman, Wale Egbeola-Martins, said Nigeria’s greatest challenge had been poor leadership rather than the faith of those occupying public office.

“The real challenge confronting our nation since the return to democratic rule has not been the ethnic or religious identity of those in power, but the persistent deficit of purposeful and accountable leadership,” he said.

According to him, the YPP would continue to promote politics based on merit, national interest and service to the people.

APC Defends Decision

The APC, however, defended its decision to retain Shettima, insisting that the choice reflected national interest and political realities.

The party’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the leadership carefully considered all relevant factors before deciding to retain the Vice President on the ticket.

“The decision was reached after a careful assessment of the situation. The party is conscious of religious sensitivities but is also mindful of the broader interests of Nigerians,” Ibrahim said.

He also dismissed concerns that the same-faith ticket could heighten religious divisions, arguing that the Tinubu administration had continued to promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different faiths.

The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf, said the APC’s decision was largely influenced by electoral calculations.

According to him, political parties generally assemble tickets they believe stand the best chance of winning elections.

He maintained that while religion remained part of political conversations, electoral strength and acceptability often played a bigger role in determining candidates.

“It’s politics. They must have done their calculations and concluded that this is their best chance of winning. In the end, elections are about where the votes are,” Yusuf said.

Governance Will Dominate 2027 – CUPP Leader

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mark Adebayo, also downplayed concerns that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would dominate political discourse as it did in 2023.

He argued that Nigerians were more likely to focus on issues affecting their daily lives, including insecurity, the economy and the performance of the current administration.

“I do not think the Muslim-Muslim ticket will generate the same level of traction in 2027 as it did in 2023. The next election will be driven more by security, the economy and the government’s performance,” Adebayo said.

The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) also urged Nigerians to evaluate political leaders based on competence rather than religious affiliation.

Its President, Jonathan Lokpobiri, said the country needed leaders capable of making difficult decisions and improving citizens’ welfare.

“What we need is a competent, focused and compassionate leader who can take difficult decisions and improve the lives of Nigerians. Religion should not be the yardstick for leadership,” he said.

Ahead of the APC’s announcement, several prominent figures, including the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, had been mentioned in political circles as possible replacements for Shettima.