The Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has remained noncommittal on whether it would support another Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2027 general elections, despite its past opposition to the controversial pairing.
In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Christian leaders across Nigeria vehemently rejected the All Progressives Congress (APC) decision to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket, arguing that it would deepen religious divisions in the country. However, in a surprising turn, the Chairman of Northern CAN, Yakubu Pam, recently commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as an “inclusive government.”
Speaking on Saturday, January 25, 2025, Pam, who had previously criticized Tinubu’s ticket, acknowledged efforts towards inclusivity, suggesting that the administration had taken steps to address concerns raised by Christian groups.
“For me, the most important thing is a government that is inclusive, and as far as they have done Muslim-Muslim ticket, we have also seen reasonable inclusiveness,” he remarked.
However, during an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, January 29, Pam appeared to sidestep a direct question on whether Northern CAN would support the retention of Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2027. Instead, he emphasized the Christian community’s interest in securing the vice presidency should the APC field another Muslim candidate for president.
“Let me be very clear: as Northern Christians, we will continue to advocate for the position of Vice President if the President is a Muslim from the South. We will never stop that—that is very clear,” he stated.
Pam also stressed that CAN remains a non-partisan body with members across various political parties. “Northern CAN is not APC, not PDP, not LP. Our members are in different parties across this country. Right now, our main focus is on the ongoing administration, and that is why we have spoken about the level of inclusiveness.”
His remarks have sparked debate, with critics questioning whether Northern CAN is softening its stance on the Muslim-Muslim ticket or strategically positioning itself for negotiations ahead of the next election cycle.
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