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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Following last week’s renomination of Vice President Kashim Shettima by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as running mate to President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid, some groups and individual have reacted to the issue.
Before now, there had been different views, opinions, intensive debates and controversy over Shettima’s candidacy as vice president and the possibility of the party retaining a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said it was yet to take an official position on President Tinubu’s reported decision to retain Shettima as his running mate for the next presidential election.
Speaking with Daily Sun, National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said the ACF had only received reports of the development and had not met to deliberate on the matter.
According to him, the choice of a running mate remains the prerogative of President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that the Forum would observe how the implications of the decision unfold before making any formal pronouncement.
“The ACF has only received the news about President Bola Tinubu’s reappointment of Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate and is yet to debate and take a concrete position on the matter.
“For now, the Forum only wants to note that the decision remains that of the President and the APC. The ACF will watch as the implications of the decision unfold,” Muhammad-Baba said.
On concerns surrounding the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, the ACF spokesperson said the more important issue should be whether any candidate combination delivers good governance and addresses the country’s challenges.
He noted that, ultimately, it is the electorate that will determine which ticket to support at the polls.
He also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in parts of the country, saying the Forum’s immediate priority is the safe return of pupils and other victims abducted by terrorists and bandits.
While commending the successful rescue of abducted pupils in Oyo State, he urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of victims still being held captive in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other affected states.
“We want to see more of such rescues for abductees in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other states without any further delay,” he said.
But the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) expressed disappointment over President Tinubu’s decision to retain Shettima as his running mate, describing the move as a continuation of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket that has failed to reflect Nigeria’s religious and regional diversity.
In a statement by its national spokesperson, Luka Binniyat, the forum said the decision represented another missed opportunity to acknowledge the strategic importance of the Middle Belt in Nigeria’s political landscape.
According to the MBF, the reaffirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket means the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket that excludes even Muslims from the Middle Belt.
The forum, which said it was established in 1954 to protect the sociopolitical interests of more than 300 ethnic nationalities across parts or all of 14 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, argued that the region had continued to demonstrate goodwill and support for the Tinubu administration despite its predominantly Christian population.
“We believe this is another missed opportunity to recognise the strategic importance of the Middle Belt, a region that today gives President Tinubu’s administration tremendous goodwill and support despite having a majority Christian population.”
The MBF further contended that the President’s decision could be interpreted as a lack of appreciation for the region’s political significance.
“By overlooking the Middle Belt once again, it would appear that the President does not place much value on the region and its 60 percent voting population of Northern Nigeria, especially in our move to produce the 2031 President.”
Reiterating its longstanding position on national leadership, the forum maintained that Nigeria’s highest political offices should reflect the country’s religious and cultural diversity.
“The MBF has always maintained that the Nigerian presidency should reflect the country’s religious and cultural diversity where Muslims and Christians do not have a clear majority.
“In a multi-religious nation like Nigeria, with Muslims, Christians and people of other faiths, the highest offices of government should promote inclusion, fairness and national unity.”
Despite its criticism of the composition of the presidential ticket, the forum said it had not taken a definitive political position ahead of the 2027 election.
“However, the Middle Belt Forum will not rush into taking a political position on the 2027 presidential election.
“Our position will be guided by the decisions of our Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Working Committee (NWC), which will carefully consider which political party and candidate will best protect and promote the interests of the Middle Belt and the unity of Nigeria,” the statement read.
A chieftain of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Rev. Emmanuel Olorunmagba, in a statement, said the reaffirmation of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket reflected political convenience over national inclusion, arguing that while the Nigerian Constitution does not prohibit such an arrangement, political leadership should also demonstrate sensitivity to the country’s religious and ethnic diversity.
According to him, Nigeria’s current socio-economic and security challenges require leadership that fosters national cohesion and reassures all segments of the population that they are adequately represented in government.
He said the APC could have sent a stronger message of unity by adopting a more religiously and regionally inclusive ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity. Our federation is built on mutual respect among people of different faiths, ethnicities and regions. A leadership that consciously reflects this diversity strengthens national confidence and reinforces the principle that no group should feel excluded from the highest levels of governance,” he said.
Olorunmagba also urged Nigerians not to focus solely on political symbolism or personalities ahead of the 2027 elections but to evaluate candidates based on their competence, track records, policy proposals and capacity to address the country’s pressing challenges.
He said issues such as economic recovery, insecurity, unemployment, accountability and good governance should dominate political discourse as the country prepares for another electoral cycle.
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The NRM chieftain added that Nigeria deserves leadership capable of inspiring confidence across religious, regional and ethnic lines, while governing fairly and promoting national development.
Professor of law and former military officer, Major Bello M. Magaji (retd) endorsed the Muslim-Muslim ticket, describing it as a strategic and commendable decision.
Also, speaking to Daily Sun, former Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani, noted that the decision to reappoint Shettima is democracy in action.
Chairman, Northern Christian Elders’ Forum (NOSCEF), Elder Sunday Oibe, simply posed a rhetorical question, saying, “The question to the proponent of Muslim Muslim tickets is, how is the market? Nigeria will speak at the appropriate time.”
The Senator representing Plateau Central, Diket Plang, lauded it as a demonstration of the recognition of loyalty, stability, courage and continuity in governance.
Plang, who spoke with newsmen in his Jos residence yesterday, said he was pleased that President Tinubu resisted pressures from different quarters to change his running mate.
He described the decision as one that would strengthen national unity and policy continuity.
The senator said Nigerians should be willing to make personal sacrifices in support of the Tinubu administration, insisting that the President’s vision, courage, inclusiveness and commitment to infrastructure development deserved broad national backing.
He commended the president and security agencies for the release of pupils and their teachers abducted in Oyo, describing it as an act of courage and the benefits of inter agency cooperation.
He urged that the efforts be sustained to ensure that all hostages across the country were released.
Former ACF scribe, Mr. Sani said: “If President Tinubu sees Muslim-Muslim ticket as his winning game plan for the ruling party, one cannot fault him. If this, to some people, is not a winning game plan, they are at liberty to contradict it with their superior game plan. After all, we are in a multiparty democracy which allows political parties to devise their own strategies. Democracy in action, one might say.”
APC chieftain, Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s re-election prospects, describing the reaffirmation of Shettima as the president’s running mate as a demonstration of continuity and strategic leadership.
In a statement, Alawuje said the President’s decision had reassured party supporters and reinforced confidence in the administration’s commitment to its Renewed Hope Agenda.
Alawuje argued that many supporters now view the arrangement from the standpoint of political strategy rather than religious identity.
“Leadership should ultimately be judged by competence, performance, integrity and commitment to national development rather than the religious affiliation of those elected to serve,” he said.
The APC supporter further claimed that public perception of the Tinubu administration had improved since it assumed office.
“In our view, many Nigerians who were initially sceptical have become more optimistic about the administration’s direction. They believe the Renewed Hope Agenda offers a pathway towards economic recovery, institutional reforms, infrastructure development and improved governance.”
He also maintained that the administration had renewed confidence among citizens who had previously become disillusioned with the country’s political system.
“Many citizens who had become discouraged by years of political disappointment are gradually regaining confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process and in the administration’s vision for national renewal,” Alawuje added.
On the political landscape ahead of the next general election, he said President Tinubu’s decision had strengthened the APC internally, while leaving the opposition parties struggling to unite around a common agenda.
“Rather than presenting a united front with a clear vision and credible presidential candidate, the opposition continues to grapple with internal disagreements and strategic uncertainty.”
He stressed that electoral success would depend on more than public commentary, insisting that elections are ultimately won through organisation, leadership, vision and the confidence of the electorate, not merely through rhetoric, media attention or political speculation.
He urged all political parties to present their programmes and candidates to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 polls.
“As Nigerians look towards 2027, every political party has the responsibility to present its programmes, policies, and candidates for the judgment of the people. From the standpoint of the APC supporters, President Tinubu remains the candidate to beat.”
Alawuje expressed confidence in the President’s chances of securing another term in office, adding that until a stronger and more convincing alternative emerges, President Tinubu remains well positioned for re-election in 2027.
Meanwhile, Plang has acknowledged the sacrifices made by security personnel, noting that many officers had also lost their lives in the line of duty while defending the country.
He called for increased funding, improved welfare and the recruitment of more personnel into the military and other security agencies, saying adequate manpower was critical to tackling the nation’s security challenges.
The lawmaker reiterated his support for the establishment of state police, describing it as a national consensus that would enhance intelligence gathering, improve community policing and strengthen the fight against insecurity.
He said the creation of state police would enable states to recruit personnel familiar with local terrain, culture and languages, thereby improving response to security threats and complementing the efforts of the military and other paramilitary agencies.
Plang, who also commented on the controversy surrounding alleged fake government agencies, said that this had brought to the fore the necessity for all committees of the National Assembly to intensify their oversight responsibilities to ensure that only legally established agencies continue to operate.
He said: “The recent controversy surrounding the fake agency has exposed the need for relevant senate committees to thoroughly review agencies under their supervision and verify their legal status.”
