An All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker in Oyo State, Ibrahim Shittu, has urged Muslim voters to reject governorship candidates who are Christians in the 2027 election.
Shittu, who represents Saki West State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, reportedly made the call while addressing voters at a recent gathering in the state.
The lawmaker appealed to Muslim voters to support Muslim candidates, alleging that Christians elected into government would punish Muslims.
He said, “We are appealing to you, our fathers, that you must stand with our candidates who are Muslims. Anyone who selects a Christian candidate for governor, let us reject them and not vote for them. If we vote for them, they will punish Muslims.”
Shittu also urged Muslim voters to reject political parties that field Christian candidates for the governorship position.
His comments come as political parties step up preparations for the 2027 general elections, with religious identity and representation featuring among the issues being discussed ahead of the polls.
The lawmaker’s remarks have brought attention to the role of religion in political campaigning and voter appeals in Oyo State. His allegation that Christian leaders would punish Muslims remains an attributed claim and is not independently established by the information provided.
Rufai Oseni Speaks on Tinubu, Wike and 2027 Political Interests
Meanwhile, Arise Television’s Morning Show anchor, Rufai Oseni, has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will avoid taking steps that could worsen the ongoing political disagreement between the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Oseni made the remarks during a Monday episode of the programme, according to the report.
The television host argued that Tinubu would be cautious in handling the dispute because of his political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.
“You see, I know this country too well. President Tinubu will never rock the boat. He will just try to give a gloomier response to settle the matter between Wike and the governors because he wants to win an election,” Oseni said.
According to Oseni, the President’s approach could be aimed at maintaining Wike’s support while addressing some of the concerns raised by the FCT minister.
He further suggested that the more significant political contest involving Wike could emerge after the 2027 elections, depending on the outcome of the polls and developments within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Oseni Questions Wike’s Future Political Ambitions
Oseni also questioned how Wike would seek to rebuild the PDP after what he described as the minister’s role in weakening the party and supporting a faction within it.
“All of this Wike is playing, forget it, he has presidential ambitions. Anyway, he ran in the last election cycle, so all of this is strategically positioning himself for the next eight years when power will come back to the South,” Oseni stated.
He added that Wike’s age could be an advantage in his reported long-term political calculations.
“And you see, the good thing about the game which he is playing is that age is on his side,” Oseni said.
Oseni’s comments represent his analysis of the political calculations surrounding Tinubu and Wike. The claims about Wike’s presidential ambitions and the President’s intentions have not been independently established in the material provided.
Conclusion
The remarks by Ibrahim Shittu and Rufai Oseni come amid political manoeuvring and discussions ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections. While Shittu’s statement centres on religious identity in governorship elections, Oseni’s analysis focuses on the relationship between Tinubu, Wike and the broader political landscape.