Atiku Reopens Old Political Chapter, Says He Rejected Tinubu as Running Mate Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar don talk say one of the reasons wey make am reject Bola Tinubu as im running mate for 2007 presidential election na because he no believe say Muslim-Muslim ticket go serve Nigeria interest well. According to Atiku, Nigeria na multi-religious country, so leadership suppose reflect the diversity of the people rather than make one faith occupy both positions.

The matter, wey don return to political conversation again, no be completely new revelation. Atiku had explained the issue during a 2022 interview, saying Tinubu wanted to run with am under the then Action Congress arrangement, but he rejected the idea because of the religious composition of the proposed ticket.

Atiku Says Religious Balance Was the Main Issue

Atiku’s position be say Nigeria no be country where politicians should treat religious balance like ordinary decoration for campaign poster. He had maintained that the country is multi-ethnic and multi-religious and that government should reflect that diversity. He also linked the disagreement to the political distance that later developed between himself and Tinubu.

For political observers, the irony no small: the political disagreement happened many years before Tinubu eventually contested the presidency with Kashim Shettima, another Muslim, as his running mate in 2023. The APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket generated serious debate across the country, with supporters defending it as a choice based on competence while critics questioned its sensitivity in a religiously diverse Nigeria.

Atiku Brings Out Old Ticket, New Political Argument

Tinubu had previously disputed aspects of Atiku’s account and defended his own political choices, including the selection of Shettima for the 2023 presidential race. The Muslim-Muslim ticket ultimately went ahead, and a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a case seeking to disqualify the ticket, ruling that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to challenge the nomination.

And as Nigeria dey gradually move toward another presidential election cycle, the same religious-balance argument fit remain one of the issues wey politicians and voters go continue to debate. The APC has also formally retained Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 election, meaning the Muslim-Muslim ticket remains part of the political landscape.

At the end of the day, Atiku’s latest reminder don reopen one old political chapter wey still get plenty room for argument: whether religious balance should be a major consideration when choosing political leaders, or whether competence should stand alone. As politicians prepare for another major electoral contest, OGM News Pidgin go continue to watch the matter as the political drama dey unfold.