The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Julius Abure, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, dismissing renewed criticism over the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He argued that the President’s decision should be viewed from the perspective of political realities and governance rather than religion, saying that competence and national interest should remain the overriding considerations ahead of the next general election.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme on Monday, Arabambi said he saw nothing controversial about Tinubu’s reported decision to retain Shettima, maintaining that the debate surrounding the religious composition of the APC ticket had outlived its relevance.
He insisted that Nigerians should instead evaluate the administration based on its performance over the last three years.
Responding to questions on whether the Muslim-Muslim ticket would again dominate political conversations ahead of the 2027 election, Arabambi said he did not believe religion should be made the defining issue.
He noted that governance should be assessed on competence and delivery rather than the faith of those occupying public offices. He further argued that the realities of Northern Nigerian politics also played a role in such decisions.
Speaking, he said, “Well, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t see any issue in that. It’s just as clear as snow, as bright as snow, and as clear as air, that the President will soon form his vice-presidential candidacy. You have to be very cautious, you know, of the way the northerner thinks.”
To Arabambi, attempts to substitute a northern Muslim with a northern Christian might not necessarily produce the expected political outcome because of the demographic realities in the region.
He argued that even within the North, Christians often acknowledge that they constitute a minority. He said this reality could not simply be ignored in political calculations.
He stated, “If you even go to say, oh, I want to pick a northern Christian, they will tell you they’re a minority. And that’s a fact. They tell you they’re a minority and that’s a fact. So the President will not just want to go against the wind”.
The Labour Party chieftain also rejected suggestions that the Muslim-Muslim ticket had contributed to insecurity or discrimination against Christians, arguing that criminality in Nigeria has affected citizens irrespective of their religious affiliations. “Kidnapping and banditry come from every faith.
“The banditry in Nigeria, as they are killing Muslims, they are killing Christians also. So it’s not a question of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. All of us, you know, we are partakers, whether you worship the local deity, whether you are a Christian, you know, whether you’re a Muslim.”
Arabambi maintained that criminal groups do not discriminate based on religion when carrying out attacks, saying once victims are identified as valuable targets, kidnappers proceed with their demands regardless of the victims’ beliefs.
He therefore argued that attributing insecurity to the religious composition of the Presidency was misplaced.
