Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)

Kwankwaso Rejects Another Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Urges Balanced Leadership for 2027.

Former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has rejected the idea of another Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that Nigeria's religious diversity makes a balanced ticket more suitable for national unity and inclusiveness.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, Kwankwaso said Nigerians are increasingly concerned about governance rather than religious or ethnic considerations. According to him, citizens, particularly young people, are demanding leaders capable of addressing insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment and other pressing socio-economic challenges confronting the country.

He maintained that many critics of the NDC alliance were disconnected from the realities in northern Nigeria, insisting that people across the region were more interested in effective leadership than political narratives centred on religion or ethnicity. He expressed confidence that the NDC ticket would enjoy widespread support in the 2027 presidential election.

Kwankwaso also dismissed allegations linking him to religious extremism and reports of a proposed United States bill that allegedly mentioned his name in connection with claims of religious persecution and communal violence. He described the allegations as politically motivated, stressing that he had no assets outside Nigeria and that attempts to tarnish his image had failed.

Turning to the 2027 presidential contest, the former governor expressed surprise that President Bola Tinubu was reportedly considering another Muslim-Muslim ticket.

While acknowledging that there was nothing inherently wrong with candidates of the same faith contesting together, he argued that a balanced ticket would better reflect Nigeria's diversity and give all sections of the country a stronger sense of belonging. He urged the President to reconsider his choice of running mate before the substitution deadline.

Kwankwaso cited his own experience in the 2023 election, noting that he deliberately selected a Christian cleric as his running mate to promote inclusiveness.

He also recalled the 1993 presidential ticket of the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and Babagana Kingibe, saying the campaign at the time was driven more by competence and popularity than by religious considerations.

He added that he remained confident the courts would not prevent the NDC from participating in the 2027 elections, insisting that democracy should allow Nigerians to determine the country's leadership through the ballot box.

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