Kabiru Marafa, the Zamfara State coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) APC Presidential Campaign Council, has argued that there is “no big deal” in fielding a same-faith presidential ticket as religious principles never governed Nigeria.

After consulting various political groups in Gusau, the state’s capital, on Monday, the senator maintained that voters were sane, with the freedom to choose any of the political parties available.

“Nobody should deceive us; Nigeria is not governed in the line of religion. There are 18 political parties in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Marafa added, “If one party says they are doing Christian-Christian ticket and another one says ‘Muslim-Muslim ticket,’ leave the one that is doing the one you don’t like and go to the other one you like. What is the big deal?”

However, the senator also boasted that APC would be victorious in the 2023 general election, stating that the party would preach peace among members.

He urged Nigerians not to be wooed because the country is not under a religious theology.

Mr Marafa further assured that the electorate in Zamfara will deliver more than 25 per cent votes, stressing that the North-West remained the major hope and support to the victory of Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

Although Mr Marafa’s stance on the same faith ticket is not new, religious leaders, and rights activists, among other critics, have since faulted the ruling party’s choice of a Muslim/Muslim ticket.

In October, the Archbishop Emeritus, Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, who maintained that the APC’s same-faith ticket was nothing but a political strategy to win, said he would not vote for the party in the presidential elections.

“There is no point telling them not to take such a decision; all you can say is that they will have to accept responsibility for the decision they have taken,” he said. “I only have one voter’s card, and by God’s grace, I will use it. I will definitely not vote for the Muslim/Muslim ticket, that is my decision.”