A powerful northern group has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that his insistence on a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027 will put him on a collision course with Christians and minority groups in the region.
The Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum (NENF), representing over 120 ethnic nationalities, said Tinubu’s 2023 pairing with Vice President Kashim Shettima already unsettled Christian communities.
“Mr. President, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is the reason you will have problems with us,” the group declared in a statement on Monday.
According to NENF, repeating the same formula in 2027 will “alienate millions of northern Christians” and cost the APC critical votes in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, and parts of Kaduna, Borno, Gombe, and Bauchi.
While acknowledging Shettima’s competence, the forum insisted that the ticket must be balanced with a northern Christian running mate. “If you want our support, pick a Christian from the North. Plateau, Taraba or Bauchi are good choices,” the group said.
The forum also warned that ignoring this demand could hand the opposition—especially a possible Peter Obi-Atiku alliance—a major advantage.
“Nigeria is at a crossroads,” the group added. “Hunger, insecurity and sectarian violence demand leadership that reflects our diversity. Anything short of that will deepen divisions.”
The NENF said it is ready to mobilize its estimated 20 million members behind Tinubu’s re-election bid—but only if he chooses inclusivity over exclusion.
