₦airaland Forum

Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro , has shared his views on why President Bola Tinubu lost Lagos in the 2023 presidential election.

Obanikoro who spoke during an interview with Vanguard on Monday, February 23, 2026.

He said several political factors worked against Tinubu during the election period. According to him, although party supporters made strong efforts during the campaign, some issues shaped how voters made their choices.

The former senator pointed to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as one of the reasons behind the outcome.

He explained that it was the first time such a ticket was presented at the national level in Nigeria. He said many Nigerians were used to seeing a balance between Muslims and Christians on presidential tickets. When that pattern changed, it created concerns among some voters.

Obanikoro noted that Lagos has a large Christian population. He described the state as a major base for many Christian organisations in the country.

He said several churches and religious groups have their headquarters in Lagos or in nearby areas. Because of this, he said religion became an important topic during the election in the state.

He stated that some voters were worried that having candidates from the same religion at the top level could affect religious balance in leadership.

According to him, Nigerian politics has for many years followed an informal arrangement where both major religions are represented in key positions. When this long-standing pattern was altered, it led to different reactions from parts of the electorate.

"Asiwaju lost Lagos for so many reasons, not because some of us did not try our best. One, don’t forget that it was a Muslim/Muslim ticket. That was the first time that we had such in Nigeria.

Two, Lagos, whether you like it or not, is the capital of the Christian religious groups in Nigeria. All these religious associations or religious groups are all headquartered in Lagos or outskirts of Lagos, and they have a huge population.

The decision was taken because they felt threatened that a Muslim/Muslim ticket would reduce the Christians to second class citizens in Nigeria because that had never happened before.

What we were accustomed to before then was a faith-balanced ticket. If a Muslim heads, a Christian is second. Where a Christian is the head of the ticket, a Muslim would be the second. So that is what we were accustomed to, and it became the norm, like a tradition.

So anytime you want to create a shock in a system like that, you are going to have the kind of reaction that we saw at that time. So, like I said, there were many factors, including the one I just mentioned".

Richtaiwo:
The implication here is simple. The much-advertised Muslim–Muslim ticket propaganda deployed against Tinubu in 2023 has quietly run out of fuel. The fears that powered it have largely fizzled out under the realities of governance.

As for those who have been loudly claiming they “won Lagos,” the next election is just around the corner, they are welcome to repeat the performance.

And for anyone still nursing doubts about Abuja, last Saturday’s election should have settled the matter for every human operating with fully functional software upstairs.

Christmyhope:
That was then, It can never happen again

adioolayi:
I agree with Obanikoro on this one...

The Muslim-Muslim ticket was one of the factors..

I will also add that APC in Lagos didn't see it coming and they were not prepared for such shock.

In 2027, it's definitely not possible to see such shock in Lagos.
Even if Tinubu doesn't win any other State....Lagos APC will want to clear that shame .

Opposition should concentrate elsewhere...APC will lockdown Lagos.

rummmy:
lolz... expect a bigger shock this time and dont forget he also lost Abuja..

Now tell me how someone who lost his stronghold and their seat of power manage to win an election if not inec manipulation ..that's why you see them supporting Manuel result collection..
They will be amazed in 2027

Christmyhope:
That was then, It can never happen again

Goodvibes007:
The bigger shock is how ADC lost terribly in Abuja. Senator Ireti even lost her PU
That's a good sign of what is coming in 2027.

SisterAnn:
Hahaha 😃😃

See ehn, no matter what you do in this life, resist the urge to shalaye..

Tinubu's loss in Lagos only affirmed the fact that he is just being followed for his deep pocket, not loved.

The Nigerians in Lagos represented by different ethnicities and religions voted for Peter Obi because he was more appealing than tinubu in all ramifications.

Even in his fiefdom Bourdillon, he lost woefully!

Obanikoro that year 😃

Koro na bitterness 🤣

SisterAnn:
Hahaha 😃😃

See ehn, no matter what you do in this life, resist the urge to shalaye..

Tinubu's loss in Lagos only affirmed the fact that he is just being followed for his deep pocket, not loved.

The Nigerians in Lagos represented by different ethnicities and religions voted for Peter Obi because he was more appealing than tinubu in all ramifications.

Even in his fiefdom Bourdillon, he lost woefully!

Obanikoro that year 😃

Koro na bitterness 🤣

Goodvibes007:
The bigger shock is how ADC lost terribly in Abuja. Senator Ireti even lost her PU
That's a good sign of what is coming in 2027.

Putindbutt:
Point of correction, 2023 wasn't the first time, we had MKO/Kingibe ticket in 1993. I believed it genuinely escaped his mind.

But of course, Nigeria being a religious country, religion played a huge role during the last election, especially culminating into the period wailers were everywhere shouting about "Islamization and fulanization" during Buhari's regime. That fear was even more exaggerated as we approached 2023 election.

I remember seeing lots of Pastors use their pulpits for heavy religious campaigns while a certain Gbajue took the advantage of turning almost all church altars in the country into political podiums.

Lots of APC Christian members in Benue, Plateau down to Bauchi and Adamawa angrily left the party. Today, they have all returned to APC in even larger number, seeing that President Tinubu genuinely loves all religion adherents equally with more Christian appointees holding more powerful and key positions in his Govt.

There's no way there will be a repeat of 2023, there's no way that religious-war fraud will use same old failed expired format again in 2027. That's why he had quickly run to meet his boss in the coalition of failures to beg and cry for VP slot.

SisterAnn:
Hahaha 😃😃

See ehn, no matter what you do in this life, resist the urge to shalaye..

Tinubu's loss in Lagos only affirmed the fact that he is just being followed for his deep pocket, not loved.

The Nigerians in Lagos represented by different ethnicities and religions voted for Peter Obi because he was more appealing than tinubu in all ramifications.

Even in his fiefdom Bourdillon, he lost woefully!

Obanikoro that year 😃

Koro na bitterness 🤣

Tareq1105:
Shut up!

The only reason why Obi won in Lagos and came 3rd was bcoz he was the only Christian among the contestants.

Simple!

creativejagaban:
Lets see if obi will get 10% of Lagos votes in 2027.

E go shock you

I hear obidients and Atikulooters are fighting on many Twitter spaces

@CityBoyMovement
#CityBoyMovement


Tinubu till 2031.