Paper short abstract:

The Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria received a strong reaction from the Christian religious actors which caused a change in the dynamics of the election.

Paper long abstract:

At the presidential elections held in Nigeria in 2023, the ruling party presented a presidential and vice-presidential candidate who were both Muslims. Across the nation, this led to widespread dissatisfaction among Christians. Though it was a decision driven by political exigencies, the Christian religious leaders vehemently opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket. In a country that is still dealing with Boko Haram violence, the outcry against a Muslim-Muslim ticket increased the age-old fear of Islamization and the extermination of Christianity. In this paper, I argue that the reaction of the religious actors towards the Muslim-Muslim ticket changed the outcome of the election by exposing the religious fault lines of Nigerians. Although the Muslim-Muslim ticket prevailed in the election, the dissatisfaction against the ticket caused a monumental upset in places where ethnic ties have hitherto triumphed. Furthermore, I argue that religious actors were able to influence the outcome of the election not only through their rhetoric but also due to the support they received from political elites who utilized religion as a tool to mobilize supporters.