Kaduna Governor Breaks from El-Rufai's Template, Seeks Christian Running Mate
- Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has reportedly resolved to run on a faith-balanced ticket ahead of the 2027 elections
- Sources say the deputy governorship slot will stay with Southern Kaduna, with a Christian candidate among those shortlisted
- A public affairs analyst and an Islamic cleric have both weighed in on the religious sensitivity surrounding the decision ahead of the 2027 election
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani is understood to have settled on choosing a Christian from the Southern Kaduna Senatorial zone as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.
Uba's running mate announcement is expected before the Independent National Electoral Commission's submission deadline.
As reported by Daily Trust, a highly placed source within Government House said that the governor has moved past the internal deliberations on the matter.
"The governor has gone past that stage; he has decided that, for fairness, his ticket would be balanced in terms of faith."
The source added that zonal representation and religious balance will take priority over other considerations such as age and gender.
Why Sani is breaking from El-Rufai's template
The decision marks a deliberate departure from the approach taken by his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who in 2019 ditched the longstanding convention of pairing candidates from different faiths.
El-Rufai ran with Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, a Muslim, for his second term.
Balarabe subsequently ran alongside Sani as his deputy but is constitutionally barred from taking the oath of office a third time, forcing the governor to seek a new running mate.
Shortlisted names and stakes involved
Among those believed to be under consideration are Commissioner for Justice James Kanyip, Head of Service Mrs Jummai Bako, and Jerry Adams, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS).
The governor has reportedly kept his final choice closely guarded to prevent lobbying and internal pressure.
"Once the time is ripe, he would make the announcement."
The political calculation is significant. The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Malam Isa Ashiru Kudan, has already named Irmiya Kantyok, a Christian from Southern Kaduna, as his running mate, a pairing that has historically earned him strong support in the area.
Analysts warn that if Sani proceeds with a faith-balanced ticket, it could squeeze the APC's margins in Southern Kaduna.
Public affairs analyst Haruna Nasarawa said a Muslim-Muslim ticket would reopen wounds from Kaduna's history of religious and ethnic tension, while a Christian running mate "would send a strong message of unity."
Islamic cleric Sheikh Haliru Maraya echoed the position, arguing that parties in religiously diverse states should always field candidates of different faiths.
"Since 1999, Kaduna State has always produced candidates with different religious beliefs. That display of justice has gone a long way to ensure togetherness and a sense of belonging in the state."
The governor's Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa, declined to comment on the reports, saying the matter would become public in due course.
2027: Why Tinubu will win with Muslim-Muslim ticket
Recall that Reno Omokri declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
The former presidential aide explained the reason President Tinubu will win his re-election bid in 2027.
Omokri advised Nigerians to be more concerned with competency and ethnic balance than with religious balance.
When Christian-Christian ticket will win Nigeria's presidency
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Governor Abdullahi Sule argued that Nigeria's Constitution does not require religious balancing on presidential election tickets.
He expressed hope that a Christian-Christian presidential ticket will one day win a national election.
The Nasarawa governor explained why he has consistently chosen a Christian deputy despite his constitutional interpretation.
Source: Legit.ng
