2027: Most Christians Comfortable With Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket – APC Chairman

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, says most Christians who have engaged with the ruling party have expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

Yilwatda disclosed on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke about Tinubu’s re-election ambition and concerns surrounding religious representation in the presidency.

He said Christians had initially worried that the decision to have Muslims occupy both the presidency and vice-presidency could undermine their interests and limit their representation in government.

However, the APC chairman argued that such fears had eased, insisting that Christians now had their voices heard under the Tinubu administration.

“Most Christians that we’ve engaged and we’ve spoken to them, they are very okay with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.

“The thought and most Christians feared that the Muslim-Muslim ticket may suppress their voices, but their voices are heard loud and clear now.”

Yilwatda maintained that the concerns raised by Christians over the religious composition of the presidential ticket had been addressed, suggesting that the administration had demonstrated inclusiveness despite the controversy surrounding the arrangement.

His comments come as the APC intensifies preparations for the 2027 presidential election, in which Tinubu is seeking a second term with Vice-President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

The Muslim-Muslim ticket was one of the major contentious issues during the 2023 presidential election, attracting criticism from several Christian groups and other stakeholders who questioned the implications of having two Muslims occupy the country’s highest executive offices.

The debate centred largely on religious balance, inclusiveness and the representation of Christians in the federal government.