A senior member of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dominic Alancha, has warned President Bola Tinubu against repeating a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2027 general election, saying it could cost the party victory.
Alancha, speaking on Channels Television, said the same-faith ticket that brought Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to power in 2023 would not be accepted by Nigerians in the next polls. He argued that the political dynamics have shifted and urged the president to consider a Christian running mate to broaden the APC’s appeal.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket is not going to fly in 2027,” Alancha said. “The opposition is building up very seriously. If former President Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi come together, a same-faith ticket will weaken our support base.”
Alancha explained that the Northern Ethnic Nationalities Forum, a coalition of groups across religious lines, is mobilising around the issue. He said a balanced ticket would allow the APC to reach out to Christian communities in the north-central and elsewhere, while a repeat of 2023’s formula could alienate them.
He pointed to voting patterns in the last election, noting that Obi secured over 1.4 million votes in the north-central despite lacking established structures, and also made significant gains in the south-west. He warned that if the opposition unites, the APC will struggle to hold its ground.
“What happened in 2023 will not happen in 2027. If Peter Obi and Atiku had worked together, it would have been very difficult for our party. This time, they may agree, and that is a serious threat,” Alancha said.
The APC chieftain dismissed arguments that competence should outweigh religion in ticket selection, insisting that faith remains a major factor in Nigerian politics. “As a northerner born and raised in Kaduna, I can tell you religion matters. Whether in politics or business, it is always a consideration,” he said.
Alancha stressed that his call was not directed at Shettima personally but at the need for inclusivity. “We are not saying drop the vice president specifically. What we are saying is that the president should consider a Muslim-Christian ticket,” he said.
