North May Reject Christian-Christian Ticket –  APC Chieftain Warns

A senior figure in the All Progressives Congress, Farouk Aliyu, has cautioned that the party may face resistance in the North if it presents a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in future elections.

Aliyu said such a decision could weaken the party’s support base in a region where religious balance plays a major role in political choices.

The party Chieftain stressed that ignoring the religious composition of the North would be a risky political move for any party seeking victory.

Speaking during a television interview on Friday, the APC chieftain addressed the growing debate over whether the ruling party should maintain the Muslim-Muslim formula that produced President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima in 2023 or consider a new arrangement.

He explained that electoral strategy is guided mainly by population strength and voting patterns. According to him, political parties always examine numbers before settling on 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.

He pointed out that the North remains largely Muslim and that this reality cannot be ignored in national politics.

“Whether in the northern part of the country there are more Muslims, it is absolutely without doubt that there are more Muslims. So any party can decide to field a Christian, but if it goes in terms of numbers, certainly there are more Muslims in the North, which is the best for the party to take a Muslim.”

Aliyu warned that changing this structure could create serious political challenges for the APC in the region.

“Certainly, if you drop a Muslim for a Christian in the North, you’ll have a problem,” he said.

He also addressed criticisms that followed the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 elections. According to him, fears of religious imbalance have not reflected in the actions of the current administration.

“This government has got nothing to show on the ground that it’s favouring the Muslims over Christians,” he said.

Aliyu insisted that claims of marginalisation of Christians are not supported by facts, adding that the controversy has gradually reduced since the government assumed office.

“So, I think the Muslim-Muslim ticket can still fly with the APC,” he added.

The APC Chieftain urged political actors to focus more on competence and unity rather than turning religion into a tool for division. He maintained that stability in the country depends on fair representation and realistic political calculations.