Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emphasized his belief that a Muslim-Muslim ticket is not suitable for Nigeria.
In the lead-up to the presidential election, Bola Tinubu, the then-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), selected former Borno State Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate. Notably, both Tinubu and Shettima are Muslims.
The prospect of a Muslim-Muslim ticket raised concerns among various quarters, including within the ruling party. Nevertheless, Tinubu refuted accusations of Islamizing Nigeria, citing that his wife is a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and has been practicing her Christian faith.
However, during a press conference in Abuja, Atiku criticized the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, deeming it inappropriate for a diverse country like Nigeria. He stated, “To this day, I am firmly against a Muslim-Muslim ticket. I do not aspire to be President if it means advocating such an arrangement for our country.”
He added, “This approach is not appropriate; it is fundamentally flawed. Nigeria is a nation of diverse ethnicities and religions, and our government should represent this rich tapestry of diversity.”
