A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has said that Christians are now more comfortable with the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket than they were ahead of the 2023 general election.
Aliyu made the remarks during an interview on ARISE Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday while reacting to President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the APC saw no reason to alter a ticket that secured victory in the 2023 election, adding that the administration’s performance has convinced many Nigerians, particularly Christians, that concerns over religious imbalance were unfounded.
He argued that the intense criticism that greeted the emergence of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket before the 2023 polls has eased because the government has not discriminated against any religious group since assuming office.
Aliyu maintained that President Tinubu has governed as a national leader rather than as a representative of any particular faith.
He further stated that the President’s decision to retain Shettima reflects confidence in a partnership that has remained stable since the administration came into office.
The APC chieftain said changing the vice-presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 election would have created unnecessary political uncertainty for the ruling party, stressing that retaining the existing ticket provides continuity.
Expressing optimism ahead of the next general election, Aliyu said the APC believes Nigerians will once again support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, just as they did in 2023.
“We presented the Muslim-Muslim ticket when many believed it could not succeed, yet Nigerians gave us their mandate. We believe they will assess our record in office and give us another opportunity in 2027,” he said.
He reiterated that the administration’s record over the past three years has demonstrated that appointments and governance have not been driven by religious considerations, contrary to fears expressed before the last presidential election.