Professor Okey Ikechukwu, executive director of Development Specs Academy, has said there were concerns that President Bola Tinubu would pick a Christian as his running mate for 2027, but the decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima on a Muslim-Muslim ticket is driven by political calculation rather than sensitivity to public sentiment.
Speaking in an interview from 2:39 with Channels Television, Ikechukwu made this statement while revealing that some names were mentioned as possible Christian candidates, yet Tinubu returned to Shettima.
He explained that in Nigeria, zoning and religion are tied to creating a sense of belonging, which is why many felt the ticket should not be Muslim-Muslim for inclusivity.
However, he said Tinubu won on that ticket before and may feel justified to run on it again, reasoning that the world did not end the first time. He added that removing Shettima could create problems because the vice president has loyalists and a strong following in parts of the north, and there is nothing so terrible he has done that cannot be forgiven.
Ikechukwu noted two ways people interpret the repeat ticket. For some, it signals that Nigeria has matured. For others, it reflects dangerous politics. He recalled that under former President Buhari, nepotism became common in appointments, and Tinubu now faces similar accusations.
Repeating the ticket, he said, will make some argue the administration is not sensitive. He also pointed out that under Tinubu, the government has been accused of Christian genocide and said the opposition can use the decision to mobilize voters by anchoring claims that the president is insensitive.
In his words, “Well, yes, he has finally taken a position on that. There were concerns that he was going to choose a Christian, and I think some names were mentioned.”
“Now that he’s back to Shettima, I think it’s more of a result of political calculations than sensitivity to public, you know, sentiments. The issue on the table is simple.”
“In a nation like Nigeria, the reason people are saying let the presidency go to the north or to the south or to the southeast or south-south is because of the need to create some sense of belonging for all the various groups….See More