Oyo APC Legislator Tells Muslims To Vote Against Christian Candidates To ‘Protect’ Islam Adherents
A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Shittu, has called on Muslims to support Muslim candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reject political parties fielding Christian candidates for the post of Governor in the 2027 election.
Shittu, who represents Saki West State Constituency and is an APC member, made the comments in a video circulating on social media.
“Support all our Muslim candidates in APC. Any political party with a Christian guber candidate must not be voted for. If such a person is voted in, Islam would suffer,” Shittu said.
In another part of the video, the lawmaker said Muslims should not vote for any party that presented a Christian Governorship Candidate, adding that, because Christians in government “punish us because we are Muslims.”
Shittu Ibrahim won the State House of Assembly after a re-run election in February 2024 for Saki West State Constituency in Oyo State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Ibrahim scored 13,850 votes to beat his closest opponent, Julius Okedoyin of the People’s Democratic Party polled 13,670 votes.
Ibrahim’s declaration came after the Court of Appeal had sacked the APC candidate, earlier declared winner of the election held on 18th March 2023.
His comments come as political discussions intensify ahead of the 2027 Oyo State governorship election and amid calls from some Muslim groups for a Muslim to succeed Governor Seyi Makinde, a Christian who is serving his second term.
Makinde previously said that religion should not determine his successor, stressing that competence and loyalty to Oyo State should guide the choice.
He has also spoken about the longstanding coexistence of Muslims and Christians in the state.
