2027: Tinubu Supporters Dismiss Kwankwaso’s Criticism Of Muslim-Muslim Ticket

Supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have dismissed renewed criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, insisting that the issue is no longer politically significant ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The supporters were reacting to comments by Kwankwaso, who argued that the same-faith ticket would remain a major issue in the 2027 election despite President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja during a one-day conference on the economic, structural and infrastructural development of the North Central under the Tinubu administration, organised by the North Central Agenda (NCA), the Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr Umar Tanko Yakasai, said the outcome of the 2023 presidential election had already settled the debate.

Yakasai said many critics predicted that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would deny Tinubu victory in the last presidential election, but Nigerians ultimately voted for the APC candidate.

He argued that the North Central, despite having a large Christian population, had benefited from appointments and infrastructure projects under the Tinubu administration, adding that the government should be assessed based on performance rather than the religious identity of its leaders.

He urged political actors to focus on issues affecting national development instead of reviving debates over the religious composition of the APC presidential ticket.

Kwankwaso maintained that the same-faith ticket would remain a significant electoral issue in 2027, expressing surprise that President Tinubu retained the arrangement despite the controversy it generated ahead of the 2023 general election.