By Sunday Ameh
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party faction led by Julius Abure, Abayomi Arabambi, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s reported decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, insisting that competence, rather than religion, should determine leadership choices.
Arabambi made the remarks during an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline programme on Monday, where he dismissed renewed criticism of the All Progressives Congress’ Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He argued that the debate over the religious composition of the APC ticket had become unnecessary, urging Nigerians to assess the Tinubu administration based on its performance rather than the faith of its leaders.
“I don’t see any issue in that,” Arabambi said, adding that political realities, particularly in Northern Nigeria, made the retention of Shettima a practical decision.
According to him, replacing a northern Muslim with a northern Christian might not produce the desired political outcome because Christians constitute a minority in many parts of the region.
“If you even go to say, ‘I want to pick a northern Christian,’ they will tell you they are a minority. That’s a fact. The President will not just want to go against the wind,” he said.
The Labour Party chieftain also rejected claims that the Muslim-Muslim ticket had contributed to insecurity or discrimination against Christians, arguing that banditry and kidnapping affect Nigerians irrespective of religious affiliation.
“The bandits are killing Muslims and Christians alike. Criminals do not ask about anybody’s religion before attacking,” he said.
Arabambi further contended that selecting another Muslim from the South, rather than a northern Muslim, would have been politically counterproductive, given the demographic realities of the region.
He also urged Nigerians to judge the Tinubu administration on its achievements, citing economic reforms such as exchange rate unification, reduced fuel scarcity and improvements in government finances.
“I don’t think anybody should introduce religious sentiment. The government has performed well on the economy. Whether we like it or not, we no longer queue to buy fuel,” he said.
Responding to criticism over federal appointments, Arabambi maintained that the President had the constitutional authority to appoint individuals based on merit, arguing that competence should take precedence over ethnic or regional considerations.
“The power to appoint ministers rests with the President, and I believe those appointments should be based on merit,” he said.
He also cited the establishment of regional development commissions across the country’s six geopolitical zones as evidence that the Tinubu administration had not excluded any region from governance.
Arabambi concluded that as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, Nigerians should prioritise governance, economic management and national development over religious considerations when assessing political leaders.
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