Abuja — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has warned that the North would not be comfortable with a Christian-Christian presidential ticket, saying such a move would alienate Muslim voters across the region.
Aliyu made the statement on Friday during an interview on ARISE Television, while reacting to ongoing debates over whether the ruling party should retain or alter the Muslim-Muslim ticket that produced President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima in the 2023 general election.
According to him, electoral calculations—particularly demographic realities—will ultimately determine the composition of the APC’s ticket ahead of 2027.
“In my opinion, the numbers will be looked at when deciding whether to field a Muslim or a Christian,” Aliyu said.
“There is no doubt that there are more Muslims in the North, and any party that wants to win elections must consider that reality.”
The APC stalwart cautioned that replacing a Muslim candidate with a Christian in the North could pose serious electoral challenges for the party.
“Certainly, if you drop a Muslim for a Christian in the North, you’ll have a problem,” he stated.
Aliyu also dismissed claims that the Muslim-Muslim ticket has led to the marginalisation of Christians under the Tinubu administration, arguing that such concerns have not been supported by evidence.
“This government has nothing on the ground to show that it is favouring Muslims over Christians,” he said, adding that the controversy surrounding the ticket has largely subsided.
He maintained that the Muslim-Muslim arrangement remains politically viable for the APC, insisting it can still secure broad support across the country.
Addressing speculation about a possible Christian-Christian ticket, Aliyu ruled it out entirely, stressing that it would be unacceptable to the North.
“Based on the North I know, the North will not be comfortable with a Christian-Christian ticket because that would completely alienate Muslims in the region,” he said.
His comments come amid broader discussions within the party, following recent remarks by the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who warned that dropping Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the APC’s 2027 ticket could be politically costly.
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