The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will determine Tinubu’s running mate for 2027 only after the party’s national convention, maintaining that discussions on the subject are premature at this stage of political planning.
National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, made the position clear during a live appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday. While reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strong backing from party stakeholders, Basiru stressed that selecting a vice-presidential candidate remains off the table until the official party process begins.
“The issue of a running mate is not currently up for discussion,” Basiru said. “There is no indication that the president has taken any adverse position regarding the current vice president. That decision comes after the convention, not before.”
“The issue of a running mate is not currently up for discussion,” Basiru said. “There is no indication that the president has taken any adverse position regarding the current vice president. That decision comes after the convention, not before. The national summit held at the Presidential Villa has endorsed Mr. President based on his track record. A large spectrum of stakeholders in our party have overwhelmingly given their support,” Basiru stated”
Gombe Stakeholders Summit Tension
The statement follows rising political tension stemming from a recent APC North-East stakeholders’ summit held in Gombe State on June 15. During the gathering, the party’s North-East Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu, named Tinubu as APC’s sole presidential candidate for 2027. However, the omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima from the endorsement sparked visible protests among attendees.
Some members from the region viewed the move as an intentional slight against Shettima, who is a prominent figure from the North-East and currently holds the second-highest political office in the country.
Basiru, who was present at the Gombe summit, downplayed the drama, describing it as a reflection of healthy democratic differences within the party.
“People have varying views, and that’s normal in a democracy,” he explained. “Some felt it was enough to endorse the president and allow him to decide his running mate. Others wanted both the president and vice president endorsed simultaneously.”
Clarifying the APC’s procedures, Basiru explained that the party traditionally selects its presidential candidate at the national convention, with the vice-presidential candidate named afterward. He emphasized that the APC has not issued any official stance regarding Shettima or alternative candidates.
“At the convention, only the presidential candidate emerges,” he said. “The choice of Tinubu’s running mate for 2027 will follow, in accordance with the party’s internal processes.”
On May 22, 2025, 22 APC governors publicly endorsed President Tinubu for a second term. Notably, their joint statement omitted any reference to Shettima, further fueling speculation around the fate of Tinubu’s running mate for 2027. The motion was moved by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who also serves as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, and seconded by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the Forum’s Vice Chairman.
Others include APC state governors from the North‑Central, North‑East, South‑West, South‑South, North‑West, and South‑East zones, such as Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and those ruling in Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Ondo, Ekiti, Rivers, Edo, Cross River, Delta, Plateau, Yobe, Kaduna, Abia*, Ebonyi*, among others.
Also Read: President Tinubu’s Bold Vision and Pragmatic Leadership Will Transform Nigeria – Vice President
The Tinubu–Shettima 2023 Alliance and Its Implications for 2027
In the 2023 general election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) made a strategic political gamble by fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket—pairing Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a southern Muslim and former Lagos State governor, with Kashim Shettima, a northern Muslim and former Borno State governor. The move stirred significant national debate, particularly in a country known for its religious and regional sensitivities. Critics warned of potential backlash from Christian constituencies and opposition figures, while supporters argued that competence and political strategy outweighed religious balancing.
Despite the controversy, the Tinubu–Shettima ticket proved electorally successful. The duo clinched victory in a fiercely contested race and were sworn in on May 29, 2023. Tinubu assumed office as Nigeria’s 16th president, while Shettima took on the role of vice president. Their win reaffirmed APC’s political dominance, but also set the stage for a complex internal balancing act within the party.
Two years into their administration, the political landscape within the APC appears increasingly fragmented as conversations about the 2027 election intensify. While President Tinubu has secured early endorsements from party governors and stakeholders for a second term, the question of Tinubu’s running mate for 2027 has become a flashpoint—particularly within the North-East geopolitical zone, which views Shettima as its principal political figure in the federal government.
The recent omission of Shettima’s name during endorsements and summits has stirred unease among some northern party members, raising questions about regional equity and political inclusion. Given Nigeria’s historical emphasis on zoning and balancing power among its diverse regions, the eventual choice of a running mate will likely have broader implications for party unity, electoral strategy, and national cohesion.
As it stands, the APC leadership remains cautious and noncommittal, signaling that decisions on Tinubu’s running mate for 2027 will follow internal party procedures, notably the national convention. Until then, speculation is expected to persist, both within party ranks and across Nigeria’s broader political ecosystem.
Cybercitizens React
@DbPragmatic wrote:
APC doesn’t need to allow this type of rumour to fester. Keep to the 2 golden rules Don’t change a winning And Don’t fix what is not broken . But politicians are always politicians
@chokodvirux1 wrote:
He will likely be replaced by a more influential northern leader, I assume.
@IpobZurich wrote:
Incompetent Bola Tinubu will not run with Kashim Shettima in 2027. He will go for a middlebelt or northern Christian. Kashim already started seeing signs of that.
@quidbuddy wrote
i will even like Tinubu to pick another Yoruba person, we don try Muslim-Muslim ticket he no work so make we try Yoruba-Yoruba ticket
@JuliusShoga wrote:
Opposition want APC chairman and secretary to choose VP so that they can point to bias against party rules.
@KingnoelC wrote:
The really planing SHETTIMA aaaaaaaah this doesn’t make sense shaaaa why drop your loyal vice
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