A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Farouk Aliyu, has said many Nigerian Christians are now more comfortable with President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket than they were before the 2023 general election, arguing that the administration has allayed fears of religious marginalisation.
Aliyu made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on ARISE NEWS, where he defended President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the APC resolved to retain the Tinubu-Shettima ticket because the administration had demonstrated fairness to Nigerians regardless of religious affiliation.
“As far as I’m concerned, I think the APC decided, well, our leader, the President, decided in his wisdom not to change the winning ticket. And the Christians in this country, I’m sure, are now much more comfortable than when we came up with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
Aliyu recalled that the Muslim-Muslim ticket sparked widespread debate ahead of the 2023 election, with many Christians expressing fears that they would be sidelined if the APC won power.
He, however, maintained that those concerns had not materialised.
“That was when there was a lot of hue and cry that Christians were going to be marginalised. Well, now it’s history that nobody has been marginalised along religious lines. President Tinubu has been leading this country as a Nigerian, not anybody with any religious toga,” he stressed.
Why APC Retained Shettima
Aliyu said the APC considered it unnecessary to alter a ticket that had already secured victory at the polls, adding that changing the Vice President could have created avoidable political uncertainty.
He further expressed confidence that Nigerians would again support the APC in 2027.
“It is our own decision, the party, through the leader, to retain Kashim Shettima. We are very happy that the ticket has not been tinkered with. We’ve tried it when it was hectic, when it was almost impossible, and Nigerians believed in us, gave us the chance, and we’re doing it again.
“We hope Nigerians will believe in us and give us a chance again with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
1993 Ticket Different from 2023
Responding to comparisons with the late Chief MKO Abiola’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 1993 presidential election, Aliyu argued that the country’s religious landscape had changed significantly over the years.
“Unfortunately, between when MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe came and now, a lot of things have happened in this country, a lot of religious intolerance and violence. That’s why the case is completely different now,” he said.
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Despite those changes, he said the Tinubu administration had disproved claims that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would lead to religious bias.
“When President Tinubu came with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Christians thought Nigeria was going to be Islamised, and behold, that didn’t happen. There is no toga of religious intolerance on the part of our government. Our government is for all Nigerians irrespective of religion,” he said.
‘No Christian Genocide’
Aliyu also dismissed claims that Christians were being specifically targeted by terrorists, insisting that insecurity affects Nigerians irrespective of religion.
“As far as this government is concerned, there is no Christian genocide. It is genocide against Nigerians. Boko Haram and other bandits attack everybody. They have no religious toga.”
He added that the APC’s decision to retain the Muslim-Muslim ticket remained a political strategy that Nigerians would ultimately accept or reject at the ballot box.
“This is our own strategy. We are going with the Muslim-Muslim ticket and it will be left for Nigerians to decide whether it is still acceptable. If Nigerians decide they don’t want it, so be it,” he said.
‘Tinubu Has no Religious Bias’
The APC chieftain insisted that President Tinubu has governed without favouring either Christians or Muslims.
“President Tinubu has no religious toga, no religious bias against anybody. He has treated both religions equally, and the government has not placed one religion above another,” he said
Aliyu said while religion and ethnicity still shape political choices in Nigeria, the country should begin to place greater emphasis on competence and leadership.
“Leaders need to show that whether you voted for me or not, you are all mine. Leaders must show empathy and demonstrate that they are leaders for everybody, not for a tribe, religion or ethnicity,” he added.
He also argued that political leaders across religious and ethnic divides already work together and urged Nigerians to embrace the same approach.
“At the level of the elite, we are one and the same. There is no issue of religious or ethnic bias. That understanding should trickle down,” he said
Aliyu further urged Nigerians to elect leaders based on their ability rather than their background.
“A good leader has got nothing to do with where you come from, your religion or your ethnicity. A good leader is a good leader irrespective of where you come from.
“Poverty knows no religion. Leadership knows no religion. Whatever crisis we are facing in this country knows no religion. The earlier Nigerians come together and choose leaders based on their ability to unite the country, the better,” he stressed.
On Pressure to Replace Shettima
Reacting to reports that President Tinubu came under pressure to replace Shettima with a Christian running mate ahead of the 2027 election, Aliyu said only the President could confirm whether such pressure existed.
He however, disclosed that some APC leaders advised Tinubu to retain the existing ticket.
“That is politics for you. There could have been pressure, but only Mr President can answer that question.
“Part of our advice was, ‘Mr President, if possible, maintain the Muslim-Muslim ticket because Nigerian Christians now understand that you are not against them.’ We agreed with Kashim Shettima remaining as the vice-presidential candidate, and we are happy he did,” the APC cheiftain added.
Aliyu concluded by saying reports that the President was pressured to change his running mate remain speculative.
“Whether there was pressure or not, I don’t know. These are all speculations. Mr President is a tough man, and he knows his audience,” he said.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.