The Arewa Youth Movement has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dump Vice President Kashim Shettima for a Northern Christian as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election.

The group said the president picking a northern Christian would be a masterstroke needed to secure a second term.

Its national president, Ambassador Muhammed Saad Aboki, in a statement on Monday, said Tinubu’s 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket succeeded electorally but alienated critical Christian blocs, particularly in the North.

Aboki warned that repeating the same strategy in 2027 could backfire.

According to him, the President’s loss in key Northern Christian strongholds such as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Plateau, and Nasarawa states in the last election was as a result of perceived exclusion.

He noted that a Northern Christian running mate would neutralize opposition gains in the Middle Belt and strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 poll.

The statement said: “For the 2027 elections, a recalibration of this equation could yield electoral dividends. Selecting a Christian running mate from the North would address the criticisms of religious imbalance and broaden Tinubu’s appeal, especially in the Middle Belt and other Christian-dominated areas of the North.

“A Northern Christian VP would send a strong message of unity, inclusiveness, and sensitivity to Nigeria’s diverse religious makeup.

It would help counter narratives that the APC is indifferent to Christian interests.

“The Middle Belt and Northern Christian regions are often battleground areas in Nigerian elections. A VP candidate from this demographic could help swing these states in Tinubu’s favor, neutralizing the PDP’s influence.

“One of the critical takeaways from the 2023 presidential election was President Tinubu’s electoral performance in areas with strong Christian populations. He lost in key strategic locations such as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, and Plateau states regions with significant Northern Christian populations. These losses were widely attributed to dissatisfaction with the perceived religious imbalance in the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who positioned himself as a candidate of inclusiveness and reform, capitalized on this sentiment.

“His messaging resonated strongly with Christian voters in the North Central region, especially in areas where concerns over marginalization and underrepresentation had persisted. The result was a notable shift of votes in favor of Obi in these areas, despite APC’s traditional presence and influence.”

The group warned Tinubu that the 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket may not be sustainable in a second cycle, especially given the backlash it generated, adding that shifting to a Muslim-Christian ticket would be seen as a corrective measure and a gesture of goodwill.