₦airaland Forum

2027 TENSION: WHY NORTHERN STAKEHOLDERS ARE STILL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MUSLIM-MUSLIM TICKET

From Kaduna to Borno, Calls Grow For Inclusive Ticket

ABUJA / KANO / KADUNA - September 2026 - More than three years after President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima emerged on a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023, the debate has refused to die in many Northern circles as the country looks toward 2027.

While the ticket won in 2023, several prominent Northern voices say they cannot support a repeat.

5 REASONS NORTHERN LEADERS CITE:

1. THE FEDERAL CHARACTER QUESTION:
Nigeria has always tried to balance religion and region - Muslim/Christian, North/South. Many Northern Christians in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna and Adamawa say they felt shut out. "We delivered votes but got no seat at the top table," a CAN leader in Kaduna said.

2. THE NORTH IS NOT MONOLITHICALLY MUSLIM:
The North has millions of Christians. From Yakubu Gowon to T.Y. Danjuma, Christian leaders have played huge roles. Critics say Muslim-Muslim ticket sends a wrong signal that the North equals only one faith.

3. INSECURITY AND UNITY MESSAGE:
With Boko Haram and banditry often framed as religious conflict, some elders argued Nigeria needed a ticket that preaches unity by its composition. "How do you preach religious harmony when the top two are same faith?" a Middle Belt Forum chieftain asked.

4. POLITICAL PRECEDENT:
Since 1999 - Obasanjo/Atiku, Yar'Adua/Jonathan, Jonathan/Sambo, Buhari/Osinbajo - every successful ticket balanced faith. Tinubu/Shettima broke that 24-year tradition. Many Northern politicians see that as risky for national cohesion.

5. 2027 CALCULATION:
For 2027, strategists say APC will need Christian votes in the North Central to win. If Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and FCT Christians stay away, the numbers become difficult, even with a strong Muslim base in North West and North East.

The rejection is not about hating Islam - Northerners are overwhelmingly Muslim. It is about political inclusion. Many Northerners believe that for Nigeria to feel like one family, the top ticket must look like the family: Muslim and Christian, North and South.

As one Borno elder says: "We love Shettima, he is our son. But we also want our Christian brothers to feel they belong on the ticket. That is Northern hospitality."

I just wish this Northers will stand together against the injustice that is going on in this country, Tinubu is so desperate to rule this country that he decided to gamble with people's emotion in going through with Muslim- Muslim ticket. I PRAY HE FAILS THIS TIME.

cyril10:
I just wish this Northers will stand together against the injustice that is going on in this country, Tinubu is so desperate to rule this country that he decided to gamble with people's emotion in going through with Muslim- Muslim ticket. I PRAY HE FAILS THIS TIME.

Jagaban is your President till 2031. There is nothing you can do about it.

Cyberterror:
Jagaban is your President till 2031. There is nothing you can do about it.

Northerners have tag tinubu a one term president of Nigeria and the last Yoruba President Of Nigeria.

Tinubu Betray northerners and southerners and thereby tinubu becoming the loser in the 2027 presidential election.