As Nigeria gears up for the 2027 presidential election, the Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum (NENF) has called on Tinubu to drop the Muslim-Muslim ticket and instead select a Northern Christian as his running mate. The forum, representing over 200 ethnic groups from Northern Nigeria, argues that inclusivity is essential to healing Nigeria’s religious and ethnic divides.
In a statement released ahead of the elections, NENF leader Dominic Alancha emphasized that while Vice President Kashim Shettima performed capably, the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted in 2023 alienated millions of Northern Christians and intensified religious tensions across the country. The forum cautioned that repeating the same arrangement could cost the APC crucial states in the Middle Belt, including Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as parts of Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Gombe, and Bauchi.
“The 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket ignited unprecedented religious tensions, alienating millions of Christians and fueling fears of Islamisation,” Alancha said. “Grassroots realities show that over 80 percent of Northern Christians rejected the APC in 2023, costing the party critical battleground states.”
The forum highlighted that President Tinubu secured only 36 percent of the Northern vote despite the region’s Muslim majority. In contrast, the Labour Party’s Peter Obi demonstrated the power of inclusion by garnering significant support in Christian-majority regions.
NENF urged Tinubu to make a public commitment to abandon the Muslim-Muslim ticket and select a Northern Christian from within the region’s diverse ethnicities. Such a move, they said, would broaden the APC’s appeal, restore national trust, and boost the party’s vote share in the critical Middle Belt by up to 45 percent.
“Nigeria’s founding fathers deliberately enshrined religious balance to prevent polarization,” Alancha said. “Adopting a Northern Christian vice president would follow the inclusive models of past leaders like Obasanjo and Buhari, balancing merit with national unity.”
The forum’s warning adds to the ongoing debate within the APC and Nigerian political circles about the strategic viability of the Muslim-Muslim ticket in future elections. While some within the party advocate for retaining the ticket due to its role in the 2023 victory, growing voices call for greater religious inclusiveness to secure and sustain electoral dominance.
As the 2027 election approaches, the APC faces a critical decision on whether to maintain continuity with the Tinubu-Shettima ticket or recalibrate its strategy to reflect Nigeria’s diverse religious and ethnic landscape. The outcome of this decision will significantly shape political dynamics in the run-up to the landmark election.