Former presidential media aide Bashir Ahmad has weighed in on the contentious issue of a same-faith presidential ticket, revealing the specific condition under which he would support a Christian/Christian pairing.
Ahmad, who served under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, was responding to a direct question from an X user, @Jayden_071, who called him out for allegedly dodging the topic previously.
“But you haven’t answered where someone asked if you would accept a Christian/Christian ticket,” @Jayden_071 pressed.
Ahmad’s answer, however, pivoted not on religious preference, but on party loyalty. He stated he would fully back a Christian/Christian ticket if it was the choice of his political home, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He wrote: “If the political party I belong to presents two Christians whom I believe are the best options for the country, why not?”
This stance is particularly notable given the widespread public outrage in 2022 when the APC presented a Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket, which eventually saw President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima elected despite strong opposition, particularly from the Christian community.
Ahmad’s comment suggests that for him, the party’s choice and the perceived competence of the candidates would ultimately override concerns about religious balancing on the ticket.
