Christian-Christian Ticket Will One Day Win Nigeria’s Presidential Election — Abdullahi Sule

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has said a Christian-Christian presidential ticket will one day win Nigeria’s presidential election, insisting that the country’s Constitution does not require religious balancing in political offices or electoral tickets.

Sule made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, while responding to criticism from Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.

The governor dismissed Kwankwaso’s comments, describing them as typical opposition politics.

“I think it is normal for Senator Kwankwaso, whom I respect a lot, to say that because he’s opposition. He cannot say anything good. It is expected of him to say that,” Sule said.

According to the governor, many Nigerians misunderstand the constitutional provisions relating to inclusiveness, stressing that the 1999 Constitution emphasises federal character and ethnic representation rather than religious balancing.

He explained that Section 14(3) of the Constitution focuses on equitable representation across the country, while Section 15 addresses issues relating to ethnicity.

“There is no place where it talks about religion. Section 14 didn’t talk about religion. Section 15 did not talk about religion,” he stated.

Sule cited the election of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, as well as the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola’s 1993 presidential campaign with Babagana Kingibe, to support his argument.

“You can see both elections have been clear that the Muslim-Muslim ticket has won. I pray that one day Nigeria will have a Christian-Christian ticket, and it will win,” he said.

Despite his position, the governor noted that he has consistently chosen a Christian deputy governor in Nasarawa State because of competence rather than religious considerations.

He said his deputy, Emmanuel Akabe, was selected based on merit, adding that political realities vary from one state to another.

“In Nasarawa State, it has always been a Christian. We thought it was important because Emmanuel Akabe is competent, and our state is different from Nigeria,” Sule said.

He further pointed to states such as Enugu and Bayelsa, where governors and deputies are Christians, arguing that political choices should be determined by competence and local realities rather than religious identity.