Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that President Bola Tinubu's decision to retain a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2027 election will continue to be a significant political issue, warning that Nigerians are tired of leaders who ignore the country's religious diversity. Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today on Monday, July 20, 2026, Kwankwaso expressed surprise that Tinubu, who he described as someone who traditionally balances political appointments, would again present a same-faith ticket despite the controversy that surrounded the arrangement in 2023. "I am even surprised that the President again is presenting the same type of ticket, and I know him; he is always somebody who likes to balance things," Kwankwaso said. "If you look at Lagos, he has always balanced it; even in his home, the ticket is balanced. I don't know why the ticket in Nigeria is not balanced".
Kwankwaso argued that Nigeria's diverse religious composition makes a balanced ticket more appropriate for national unity and inclusion, stressing that while there is nothing inherently wrong with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket, the country's diversity makes religious balance preferable. He pointed to his own choice of running mate in the 2023 election, when he picked an archbishop, as an example of the kind of balancing he believes is necessary. "When I was looking for somebody to run with me, I got an archbishop so that we can go together and everybody will have a sense of belonging," he said. The former governor also cited the 1993 SDP presidential ticket of MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe as an example where religion did not dominate political discourse, noting that "at that time, people were talking of competence, popularity and many other positive things".
Kwankwaso suggested that President Tinubu still has time to correct the perceived imbalance before the substitution deadline. "I believe he still has time from now to the time of substitution to have a balanced ticket," he said, a statement that has fuelled speculation about whether the President might consider replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate ahead of the 2027 election. Asked directly whether the same-faith ticket would still be an issue in 2027, Kwankwaso replied emphatically: "It has to be". His comments come amid growing debate over the President's decision to retain Shettima on the ticket, a move that has drawn criticism from some Christian leaders and political observers who argue that it undermines the religious balance needed in a country with almost equal numbers of Muslims and Christians.
Beyond the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Kwankwaso also used the interview to defend the NDC alliance with Peter Obi and to push back against critics who argue that Obi lacks popularity in northern Nigeria. He expressed confidence that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would perform well in the North, insisting that the NDC presidential candidate has a solid base in the region and demonstrated significant electoral strength there in past contests. "I believe I know much more than I knew before the 2023 elections. Now I know that Peter is a very serious politician. He has this country in mind. He is somebody that one can rely on and so on and so forth," Kwankwaso said. He added that it was easy for both men to reach an agreement because they share similar ideas on how to move the country forward.
Addressing the reasons why Nigerians should vote for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket in 2027, Kwankwaso pointed to insecurity, economic hardship, poor infrastructure, and a struggling education sector as the key areas the two men are prepared to tackle. "Our main concern today is the security in the country. You could see that in recent years the insecurity, mainly in the North-East, moved into the North-West, North-Central; now it is migrating into the southern part of the country, which is most unfortunate," he said. He stressed that no country can meaningfully develop without a serious investment in education, and that the NDC ticket is determined to address the numerous challenges confronting the country.
Kwankwaso also dismissed allegations linking him to religious extremism and a proposed US bill that reportedly named him over claims of religious persecution and communal violence. He described the allegations as politically motivated and insisted that his name had been cleared. "Let me start from the issue of assets. I have no asset anywhere outside Nigeria, so there is nothing to freeze," he said. "Everybody has enemies. People decided to send my name here and there. But realities have now come out, and that issue is gone. It is no longer an issue". He also dismissed concerns that ongoing legal challenges involving the NDC could affect its participation in the 2027 elections, expressing confidence that the courts would not prevent the party from contesting.
The former governor, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, is now running as Peter Obi's vice-presidential candidate under the NDC for the 2027 election. He also clarified that his discussions with President Tinubu after the 2023 election were never about joining the All Progressives Congress, but about finding ways to work together to move the country forward. "I don't think there was any plan for me to join the APC. I know from the beginning of the administration, the President, being a good friend of mine, of course, a former colleague, my colleague many times in the National Assembly in 1992–93, and of course when we were governors in 1999, and even when we were forming the APC itself, we worked together hand in hand over the last three decades and a half, so we know ourselves," he said. "Of course, he made efforts for us to work together, but it was not to leave my party then, the NNPP, to join the APC, but to work together to make this country a better place for everybody".
As the 2027 election approaches, Kwankwaso's warning that the Muslim-Muslim ticket will remain a major issue underscores the enduring political significance of religious balance in Nigeria's presidential politics. His call for Tinubu to consider a more balanced ticket before the substitution deadline adds a new layer of intrigue to the ruling party's preparations for the upcoming election, while his confidence in the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance signals a determined opposition effort to challenge the APC's hold on power.
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