President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election has reopened discussions surrounding the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket, with political actors divided over the place of religion and competence in Nigeria’s leadership choices.
The APC’s confirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket brought an end to months of speculation that the President might replace Shettima with a Northern Christian candidate in a bid to address concerns over religious representation.
The move has reignited debates similar to those witnessed during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, when Tinubu, a Muslim from the South-West, selected Shettima, also a Muslim from the North-East, as his running mate.
Opponents of the arrangement had argued that the same-faith ticket ignored Nigeria’s long-standing political tradition of balancing presidential tickets along religious lines to reflect the country’s diversity. However, Tinubu and Shettima went on to secure victory in the 2023 election, defeating candidates including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
Before the APC’s latest announcement, several names had been speculated as possible replacements for Shettima, including Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.); Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Hassan Kukah; and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
While some opposition parties have played down concerns about the Muslim-Muslim ticket, arguing that leadership ability should take precedence over religious identity, others insist that religious balance remains a significant factor in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Reacting to the development, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said elections should focus more on the competence and capacity of candidates rather than their religious affiliations.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ejimofor Opara, said Nigeria must move away from identity-based politics and assess leaders based on their achievements and ability to deliver.
“Competence should remain the defining issue in 2027, not whether candidates are Muslims or Christians,” he said.
Similarly, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) argued that qualities such as character, integrity and competence should be the major criteria for selecting political leaders rather than religious or ethnic considerations.
YPP spokesperson Wale Egbeola-Martins said Nigeria’s biggest challenge has been ineffective leadership rather than the faith or ethnic background of those occupying political offices.
“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.
The party maintained that it would continue to support a political system centred on merit, effective service delivery and national interest instead of religious or ethnic calculations.
APC Defends Muslim-muslim Ticket
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended its decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the choice was made in the interest of national stability and based on a careful evaluation of political realities.
The party’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the APC considered several factors before arriving at the decision, noting that concerns raised over the Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2023 election had not translated into the religious tensions predicted by critics.
“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 dismissed suggestions that retaining the same ticket could deepen religious divisions, insisting that the administration had promoted religious tolerance and unity since taking office. According to him, the APC remains focused on issues that affect Nigerians rather than divisions along religious lines.
The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party, Yabagi Yusuf, and former National Publicity Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Mark Adebayo, also argued that the 2027 election would be shaped more by issues such as security, economic conditions and governance performance than by religious considerations.
Yusuf said the APC’s decision was largely influenced by electoral strategy, explaining that political parties often consider the popularity, acceptability and voting strength of candidates when choosing their tickets.
He said that although religion remains part of political discussions, parties ultimately focus on selecting candidates capable of attracting wider support from voters.
“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.
Adebayo, while commenting on the likely impact of the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the next election cycle, said the issue may not generate the same level of controversy witnessed during the 2023 campaign. He noted that Nigerians are more likely to judge the government based on its achievements and challenges facing the country.
“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.
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has urged Nigerians to focus on leadership qualities rather than the religious backgrounds of political candidates. The President of IYC Worldwide, Jonathan Lokpobiri, said competence, vision and the ability to improve citizens’ lives should remain the key considerations when choosing leaders.
“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,” Lokpobiri said.
Interest Group Opposes The ticket
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders has faulted the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 election, describing the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket as a disregard for Nigeria’s religious diversity.
The group’s President-General, Goodluck Ibem, expressed concerns that the decision to overlook a Northern Christian candidate could further fuel perceptions of marginalisation among sections of the country.
“In a nation as religiously and culturally diverse as ours, leadership must not only be fair but must also be seen to be fair,” Ibem said, calling on the ruling party to promote a more inclusive approach in its political decisions.
The South-South Youths Initiative also joined the criticism of Shettima’s renomination, rejecting the APC’s move and questioning the motivation behind the decision.
Its National President, Imeabe Oscar, claimed that the party’s choice was driven more by political calculations than national interest, alleging that Shettima was retained primarily because of the electoral benefits the ticket could offer the APC in Northern Nigeria.
Christians Feel Excluded
The decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2027 election has continued to generate reactions, with some stakeholders expressing concerns over its implications for Nigeria’s religious balance.
National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Pogu Bitrus, criticised the move, describing the continued pairing of two Muslim candidates as a setback for Christian Nigerians and a wrong message in a religiously diverse country.
“To retain a Muslim-Muslim ticket after 2023 sends the wrong signal in a country as religiously diverse as Nigeria,” Bitrus said, calling on the APC to reconsider the decision in the interest of national cohesion and unity.
However, Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, disagreed with critics of the arrangement, arguing that concerns raised before the 2023 election had not come to pass.
“The fears widely expressed in 2022 did not happen. The President and the Vice President have worked together, and that relationship appears to have remained stable,” Adeniran said.
He noted that the cordial relationship between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside Shettima’s loyalty and commitment to the administration, may have played a significant role in Tinubu’s decision to retain him as his running mate.
Adeniran maintained that the performance and working relationship of the two leaders should be considered alongside religious concerns, as the debate over the Muslim-Muslim ticket continues to shape political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election.
