By Kingston Magare 29.7.2026
President Bola Tinubu has been told to drop his Vice President Kassim Shettima because the country needs a Muslim-Christian ticket to strike a balance ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) made the call Tuesday when they paid a courtesy visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Tinubu has declared that he is running with Shettima one more time after he managed to ride the storm of opposition to his pairing with Shettima in 2023, but according to Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso who is the CBCN president, Christian feel left out in the nation’s topmost political setting.
“This, Mr. President, is a time when many Christians have legitimate concerns about their place in Nigeria, especially regarding the departure from the Christian/Muslim presidency, and we hope that, through deliberate government policies, those concerns will be addressed and Christians will be reassured of their rights as citizens,” Archbishop Ndagoso said
They called on President Tinubu to take practical steps that would ease concerns among Christians and reinforce confidence in the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship regardless of religious affiliation.
Beyond issues of religious representation, the bishops also expressed concern about the country’s political direction as preparations gradually begin for the 2027 elections.
According to them, there are growing fears among Nigerians about the shrinking political space and the possibility of the country drifting towards a one-party state.
They also called for easier access to Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), saying every eligible Nigerian must be given the opportunity to participate in choosing the country’s leaders.
2027 election: Catholic Bishops urge Tinubu to drop Shettima, says Muslim-Muslim ticket not balance
President Bola Tinubu has been told to drop his Vice President Kassim Shettima as the country needs a Muslim-Christian ticket to strike a balance ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) made the call Tuesday when they paid a courtesy visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Tinubu has declared that he is running with Shettima one more time after, but according to Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso who is the CBCN president, Christian feel left out in the nations political setting.
“This, Mr. President, is a time when many Christians have legitimate concerns about their place in Nigeria, especially regarding the departure from the Christian/Muslim presidency, and we hope that, through deliberate government policies, those concerns will be addressed and Christians will be reassured of their rights as citizens,” Archbishop Ndagoso said
They called on President Tinubu to take practical steps that would ease concerns among Christians and reinforce confidence in the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship regardless of religious affiliation.
Beyond issues of religious representation, the bishops also expressed concern about the country’s political direction as preparations gradually begin for the 2027 elections.
According to them, there are growing fears among Nigerians about the shrinking political space and the possibility of the country drifting towards a one-party state.
They also called for easier access to Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), saying every eligible Nigerian must be given the opportunity to participate in choosing the country’s leaders.
“Anything short of transparent, free, fair and credible elections in 2027 would be an invitation to avoidable disaster,” they warned.