Northern Youths Defends Shettima, Muslim-Muslim Ticket

By Editor 

The Coalition of Northern Youths Progressive Movement (CNYPM), under the leadership of Bulama Salisu, has fired back at the North Central Youth Council (NCYC) over its recent demand for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 elections and replace him with a Christian running mate.

Addressing journalists in Nasarawa State on Tuesday, Bulama Salisu described the NCYC's statement as "unpatriotic, divisive, and an insult to the collective intelligence of Nigerians who voted for competence over sentiments in 2023."

According to him, the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Tinubu and Shettima was not only constitutional but a strategic decision based on merit, political strength, and national interest. 

"It is disheartening that at a time when Nigeria needs unity through development and progressive ideas, some groups are still stuck on religious arithmetic that has proven to be unproductive in the past." 

He emphasized that Vice President Shettima, a proud son of the Northeast, has shown exemplary leadership, deep intellect, and unwavering loyalty to the Nigerian project since assuming office. "Shettima's track record in Borno State and his current contributions at the national level speak volumes. He has been a bridge-builder and a unifier, working with Nigerians across ethnic and religious divides."

The youth leader cautioned groups like the NCYC against politicizing religion, noting that such rhetoric only fuels division and undermines the very unity they claim to champion. 

“True unity is not about religious tokenism; it is about building a nation where competence, character, and vision prevail,” he said.

Salisu reiterated the coalition’s full support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2027, declaring that any attempt to drop Shettima would be seen as a direct affront to the Northeast, which has long suffered marginalization but found renewed hope in his emergence.