All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Farouk Aliyu, has said the North would not support a Christian-Christian presidential ticket, warning that such an arrangement could alienate Muslim voters in the region and create electoral challenges for the ruling party.
Aliyu made the remarks on Friday during an interview on ARISE Television, while reacting to renewed debates over whether the APC 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 the APC stalwart, electoral considerations, particularly religious demographics, would play a major role in determining the party’s choice of candidates.
“In my opinion, the numbers will be looked at whether to field a Muslim or a Christian; the numbers are there to show,” Aliyu said.
“In the northern part of the country, there are more Muslims without any doubt. So, if decisions are based on numbers, it is best for the party to take a Muslim.”
He cautioned that dropping a Muslim candidate in favour of a Christian in the North could negatively affect the APC’s electoral fortunes.
“Certainly, if you drop a Muslim for a Christian in the North, you’ll have a problem,” he said.
Aliyu also dismissed concerns that the Muslim-Muslim ticket has resulted in the marginalisation of Christians, insisting that the Tinubu administration has shown no bias in governance.
“This government has got nothing to show on the ground that it’s favouring the Muslims over Christians,” he said, adding that the controversy surrounding the ticket has largely faded.
Responding directly to whether the North would back a Christian-Christian presidential ticket, Aliyu ruled out the possibility.
“Based on the North I know, the North will not be comfortable with a Christian-Christian ticket because you would be completely alienating the Muslims in the region,” he said.
His comments come amid early political discussions within the APC ahead of the 2027 general election, following recent remarks by the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who warned that dropping Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the party’s ticket could be politically damaging.