Former minister of state for defence Musiliu Obanikoro has blamed the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for President Bola Tinubu's loss in Lagos during the 2023 general elections. Speaking on the "Mic On podcast" hosted by Channels Television journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Obanikoro said the ticket proved more damaging than opposition candidate Peter Obi's campaign.
"What defeated us in Lagos was the Muslim-Muslim ticket, not Peter Obi," he told the podcast host. Obanikoro explained that many Nigerians harboured fears about what a Tinubu presidency would mean for Christians in the country.
He noted that voters worried the Muslim-Muslim combination would sideline Christians and their interests. However, Obanikoro argued those concerns proved unfounded given Tinubu's actual governance.
"Tinubu is a Muslim, but he is not a religious bigot that will carry one religion over another," the former minister said. He pointed to Tinubu's family composition as evidence of his secular approach to leadership.
Obanikoro highlighted that Tinubu's wife is a pastor and his son Seyi converted to Christianity from Islam. "Most of the people in his cabinet are Christians," he added, underscoring the religious diversity within the administration.
The former defence minister's comments shed light on the concerns that shaped voting patterns in Nigeria's commercial hub during last year's presidential contest. His analysis suggests the ticket's religious composition significantly influenced how Lagos voters cast their ballots in that election.
