The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has said most Christians in Nigeria are now comfortable with the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda said concerns that the religious composition of the presidency could marginalise Christians had been addressed under the Tinubu administration.
The APC chairman made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the president’s re-election bid and the controversy surrounding the same-faith presidential ticket.
“Most Christians that we’ve engaged and we’ve spoken to them, they are very okay with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
He explained that the initial concern among Christians was that having two Muslims occupy the highest executive offices in the country could suppress their voices in government.
However, he argued that Christians were now adequately represented in the administration and that their concerns about inclusion had been addressed.
“The thought and the fear of most Christians was that the Muslim-Muslim ticket may suppress their voices, but their voices are heard loud and clear now,” Yilwatda said.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket generated widespread controversy ahead of the 2023 presidential election, when several Christian groups and political leaders criticised the APC’s decision to field two Muslim candidates.
They argued that the arrangement raised concerns about religious inclusivity and the balance of representation in the country’s leadership.
Tinubu and Shettima are seeking another four-year term in office in the 2027 presidential election.
