Beyond the Muslim-Muslim Ticket: RECAP’s Endorsement Signals Tinubu’s Expanding Christian Support Base
By Jerry Adesewo
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu unveiled Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the decision ignited one of the fiercest religious debates in Nigeria’s democratic history.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket was fiercely opposed by many Christian organisations, including leading voices within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Catholic Church. Critics argued that the ticket ignored Nigeria’s delicate religious balance and risked deepening perceptions of exclusion.
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Three years later, religion remains part of the political conversation as the President has audaciously, reppointed the Vice President as his running mate as he seeks reelection in the 2027 general election.
Only recently, the Presidency found itself responding to concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria over governance, economic hardship and the state of the nation, highlighting that engagement between the administration and some Christian constituencies remains complex.
Against that backdrop, the endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term by the Renewal Congress of Aladura and Celestial Churches in Politics (RECAP) is politically significant.
Beyond its immediate electoral implications, it suggests that the President continues to retain—and in some quarters expand—his support among influential Christian constituencies despite the controversy that surrounded his emergence.
At its conference in Lagos, themed “The White Garment Churches: From the Altar to the Nation,” RECAP formally endorsed Tinubu’s second-term bid, arguing that his administration deserves more time to consolidate ongoing economic reforms, infrastructure development and institutional transformation.
The group, led by its National President, Pastor Prof. Adebayo Adeniji, based its endorsement on what it described as the President’s courage to implement difficult but necessary reforms that previous administrations had postponed.
According to RECAP, while the reforms have imposed short-term hardship, continuity offers the best opportunity for the country to reap long-term benefits.
The endorsement is noteworthy because White Garment churches—including Aladura and Celestial congregations—represent one of Nigeria’s largest indigenous Christian traditions, with millions of adherents across the South-West, South-South and parts of the North-Central.
For political observers, the development reinforces an emerging reality: Christian support for President Tinubu has never been monolithic.
While some church leaders remain critical of aspects of the administration, others have continued to engage constructively with government or openly support its policies.
This diversity has become increasingly evident since the 2023 elections.
Beyond the White Garment movement, the President has also enjoyed visible goodwill from sections of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and other Pentecostal circles, particularly among leaders and members who have argued that governance should be assessed primarily on performance rather than religious identity.
That support does not necessarily represent official positions of entire denominations. Rather, it reflects the plurality of opinion within Nigeria’s Christian community—a constituency often portrayed as politically unified when, in reality, it is anything but.
RECAP itself sought to frame its endorsement within that broader philosophy.
Rather than presenting its position as a purely religious declaration, the organisation argued that Christians have a responsibility not only to pray for Nigeria but also to participate actively in shaping its democratic future through issue-based political engagement.
The movement also used the occasion to launch a campaign encouraging professionals within White Garment churches—professors, lawyers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and public servants—to become more actively involved in politics and governance.
According to Pastor Adeniji, the churches possess significant intellectual and professional capacity that has remained underrepresented in national leadership.
The message was clear: faith communities should not merely observe politics from the sidelines but should contribute directly to nation-building.
Politically, the endorsement offers the Tinubu administration another opportunity to counter the narrative that the Muslim-Muslim ticket permanently alienated Nigeria’s Christian electorate.
Whether RECAP’s endorsement translates into votes remains to be seen. Religious organisations do not vote as institutions; individuals do. Nevertheless, endorsements from organised faith-based movements often shape conversations within their communities and contribute to broader perceptions about political legitimacy.
They also illustrate how Nigeria’s electoral politics continues to evolve beyond simplistic religious binaries.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, the battle for Christian support is unlikely to be fought solely through theological arguments or denominational affiliations. It will increasingly revolve around governance, economic performance, infrastructure delivery, security and whether citizens believe current reforms are beginning to produce tangible results.
For President Tinubu, RECAP’s endorsement may not end the debate over the Muslim-Muslim ticket, nor will it erase criticism from sections of the Christian community.
It does, however, underscore a political reality that has become increasingly difficult to ignore: despite early fears of widespread Christian rejection, the President continues to attract support from influential Christian groups, suggesting that performance, engagement and political calculation may ultimately prove more decisive than religious arithmetic alone.