Musawa has warned that APC risks 2027 defeat if it drops Northern Muslim from Tinubu’s ticket.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against altering the religious and regional balance of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Musawa warned that dropping a Northern Muslim from the ticket particularly Vice President Kashim Shettima could significantly weaken the party’s electoral prospects in the North.
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She made the remarks during a recent appearance on Mic On Show with journalist Seun Okinbaloye, amid speculation that the APC may consider reviewing the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted in the 2023 presidential election.
According to the minister, excluding a Northern Muslim from the presidential ticket would create serious political obstacles for the ruling party in core northern states.
“If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think,” Musawa said.
She explained that politics in Northern Nigeria is deeply ingrained and highly sophisticated, warning that misreading the region’s political dynamics could have serious consequences.
“The core North; states like Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto understands politics at a very deep level. Politics there is a way of life. People wait every four years to line up and vote because that is where they feel they have influence,” she said.
Musawa dismissed suggestions that the APC could easily reshuffle its presidential ticket without electoral fallout, describing such views as politically naive.
“I think if we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. People who suggest otherwise may not fully understand how politics works in the North,” she added.
Reacting to growing opposition alliances ahead of the 2027 polls, Musawa said she was not convinced the current opposition configuration posed a serious threat to President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.
She described the opposition as fragmented, noting that multiple political actors were competing for the same leadership space.
“You have an opposition that is overcrowded. Every single member is vying for the same spot, and that alone creates a recipe for political failure,” she said.
While acknowledging the influence of opposition figures, Musawa maintained that the APC remains confident of retaining power in 2027.
“We are not taking anybody lightly. But as the opposition is emerging now, I do not see how they can unseat President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima,” she said.
Musawa added that although the APC supports a vibrant opposition for democratic development, the party is focused on consolidating its political base ahead of the next general election.
“It is good for democracy to have opposition. Nobody wants a one-party state. But we are confident in our political direction,” she said.
