The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has challenged Nigerians to assess the performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima based on their achievements in office rather than their religious affiliations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Umahi made the call in Abuja on Monday when he received members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), stressing that governance, development and measurable accomplishments should remain the major criteria for evaluating political leadership.
The minister was reacting to renewed debates over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced Tinubu and Shettima at the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, continued emphasis on the religious identities of the President and his deputy could distract Nigerians from more important issues concerning the performance of the administration.
He asked: “What has religion got to do with performance?”
Umahi said Nigerians should concern themselves with what political leaders had been able to achieve for the country rather than the faith they professed.
“What has religion got to do with choice of leadership? When people don’t know what to say, they begin to talk about mundane things,” he said.
The minister described the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket as “one of those mundane things”, urging Nigerians to focus on issues capable of promoting national development, unity and good governance.
He also appealed to Nigerians to avoid allowing religious differences to undermine the country’s unity, stressing that citizens should see one another first as brothers and sisters irrespective of their religious backgrounds.
“If we agree that we are brothers and sisters, forget about your religion,” Umahi said.
He argued that no individual deliberately chose the circumstances of his or her birth, urging Nigerians to place greater emphasis on common humanity and national interest.
Umahi also defended Vice-President Shettima against criticisms linked to his religious identity, describing him as “very articulate and very intelligent”.
The minister maintained that Shettima’s contribution to the administration should be assessed on the basis of his responsibilities and performance rather than his faith.
His comments come as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to intensify, with political parties and interest groups increasingly shaping narratives around the performance of the Tinubu administration.
Umahi’s position, therefore, places governance, infrastructure development and other measurable achievements at the centre of the debate over the 2027 presidential election, while urging voters to look beyond religious considerations in deciding who deserves their support.
