As political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections begin to intensify, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouq Aliyu, has argued that demographic factors—particularly in Northern Nigeria—support the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by the ruling party.
Gossip News Now reports that Aliyu made the remarks on Friday while appearing on Arise Television’s Morning Show, stressing that electoral decisions are guided largely by numerical strength and political strategy rather than emotions or sentiments.
The APC stalwart emphasized that the composition of the party’s presidential ticket is the exclusive responsibility of the party leadership and its candidate, noting that personal opinions must be subordinate to collective party interest.
“I stand with my party,” Aliyu said. “These decisions belong to the party and the candidate. If, in their wisdom, the party and the president choose another Muslim, so be it. And if they opt for a Christian, that is also their decision.”
Aliyu further disclosed that APC leadership has cautioned party members, especially those frequently engaging with the media, against speculating about the future of Vice President Kashim Shettima or the party’s 2027 ticket. He explained that such discussions were premature and could undermine internal unity.
“Our party has advised those of us who regularly interact with the media not to speculate, particularly concerning Vice President Shettima,” he said. “These conversations are premature.”
According to him, whether the APC eventually fields a Muslim-Muslim, Muslim-Christian, or Christian-Christian ticket will depend strictly on political calculations made at the appropriate time.
“It is purely a political decision that will be taken when the time is right. Whether Muslim or Christian, time will tell,” he added.
Aliyu maintained that electoral strength, especially in the North, would significantly influence the party’s final choice.
“In my view, the numbers will play a critical role in determining whether a Muslim or Christian is chosen,” he said. “The statistics clearly show that there are more Muslims in the northern part of the country.”
He concluded by noting that while a party could select a Christian candidate from the region, the demographic advantage of Muslim voters remains a crucial consideration.
“There is no doubt that Muslims form the majority in the North,” he stated. “Any party can decide to choose a Christian, but if decisions are based on numbers, then picking a Muslim would naturally favour the party.”
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