Supporters of President Bola Tinubu have dismissed fresh criticism by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, maintaining that Nigerians resolved the matter through the outcome of the 2023 general election.
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‎They argued that the issue has lost its political significance as preparations gradually begin for the 2027 elections, pointing to President Tinubu’s appointments and policies as evidence of his commitment to fairness and inclusiveness across religious and ethnic lines.
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‎Speaking to journalists in Abuja during a one-day conference on the development of the North-Central under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr Umar Tanko Yakasai, said the administration has ensured broad representation in key government positions.
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‎He noted that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Chairman of the APC, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and heads of several security agencies are all from the North-Central region, describing this as proof of the President’s inclusive style of governance.
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‎Yakasai stressed that Tinubu governs the country without discrimination based on religion or ethnicity, adding that the North-Central, home to a large Christian population in Northern Nigeria, has benefited from greater inclusion under the current administration.
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‎He criticised Kwankwaso’s continued focus on the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying the former governor should recognise that Tinubu has demonstrated leadership that serves every Nigerian regardless of faith or tribe.
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‎According to him, if Tinubu’s government were driven by religious considerations, Kwankwaso himself would not have previously agreed to run as the vice-presidential candidate to a Christian presidential contender.
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‎Responding to Kwankwaso’s recent claim that the Muslim-Muslim ticket would remain a major campaign issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Yakasai insisted that the 2023 election result had already settled the debate.
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‎He argued that despite widespread objections to the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket before the last election, Nigerians still elected Tinubu as President, showing that voters placed greater emphasis on other considerations than religious sentiments.
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‎Yakasai further stated that the North-Central region has been among the major beneficiaries of the Tinubu administration through federal appointments and infrastructure development.
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‎He also dismissed allegations that the administration favours the South-West in political appointments, insisting that appointments have been fairly distributed across the country’s regions, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds.
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‎To support his position, he cited the appointment of Dr Lilian Ene Ogbole as a commissioner in the National Wages Commission, alongside what he described as the significant number of federal appointments allocated to Kano State.
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‎He concluded that critics were attempting to divert public attention from what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration by reviving an issue that Nigerians had already decided through the ballot in 2023.
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‎Kwankwaso had recently maintained that the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket remains controversial and would continue to dominate political discussions as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.