2027 Election: 3 Reasons Tinubu May Keep Shettima as His Running Mate

• There are speculations of a plot to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on the APC ticket
• The recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential flagbearer of the APC by various party stakeholders and groups, while consistently leaving out the name of Shettima, added fresh plots to the race for 2027
• In this report, Legit.ng highlights three reasons President Tinubu may still consider keeping Shettima as his running mate

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Tinubu will choose his running mate for the 2027 election only after formally accepting the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination during its convention in 2026.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, disclosed this earlier in June.

The clarification came after rife speculations that there are ongoing political permutations that could compel President Tinubu to drop Kashim Shettima for another running mate in the 2027 election.

Shettima's fate in 2027 election

Amid the uncertainty, Legit.ng looks at some of the reasons that may compel President Tinubu to stick with Shettima.

1. Political stability and loyalty

The political dynamics within the APC surrounding the vice president highlight a complex interplay of loyalty, strategy, and patience. Yet, Senator Shettima maintains a solid loyalty to President Tinubu.

His actions often support the Tinubu administration’s broader goals.

Against all odds, he has remained a pillar of strength, consistently eulogising his principal and amplifying the 'successes' of this administration.

The Vice President is credited with stabilising and advancing the present government. Thus, Zakari Gambo Babale, the convener of Conference for Patriotic Citizens, warned that any contemplation of altering 'the winning team' in the next election cycle "would be a grave miscalibration with inevitable consequences".

Babale said:

"The synergy between the president and his deputy is crucial for continuity, stability, and the consolidation of the gains achieved thus far."

2. Northeast political influence

Shettima hails from Borno, a state in the northeastern part of the country.

Shettima's influence in the northeast is significant, stemming from his prior role as Governor of Borno state (2011-2019) and his current position as Vice President of Nigeria. As governor, he oversaw a state heavily impacted by Boko Haram and gained recognition for his efforts in reconstruction and rehabilitation. His current position as Vice President provides him with a national platform to address issues specific to the northeast and to influence policy decisions affecting the region.

Earlier in June, the northeast stakeholders of the APC, at a meeting in Gombe, Gombe state, endorsed Messrs Tinubu and Shettima for re-election in 2027.

3. Religious and power-balancing calculations

Shettima, like Tinubu, is a Muslim, and having triumphed over antagonism driven by the same-faith ticket in the 2023 election, political stakeholders feel the duo can do it again in 2027.

Recently, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, ex-political adviser to President Tinubu, spoke from the power-balancing angle. The former presidential aide cautioned the Nigerian leader against turning his back on the north.

Baba-Ahmed warned Tinubu against dropping Shettima, stressing that the president needs votes from the region in the 2027 presidential election.

Featuring on AIT Focus Nigeria, Baba-Ahmed stated that Tinubu will have problems if he decides to jettison Shettima.

He pointed out that Tinubu became President on the strength of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, hence he cannot turn against northern Muslims.

His words:

“Kashim Shettima’s problem is that he represents the North in this government, whether we like it or not.

“The President is Nigeria’s President and is from the Southern part of the country, the Vice President is the VP of Nigeria from the Northern part of the country.

“So, Shettima is the most senior northerner in this government. If the President is unhappy with the working relationship and doesn’t think that Shettima is pulling his weight and wants somebody else, that’s a different thing. However, if he wants to drop him because he believes that the north represents a real problem and he has to tinker with faith in geography, then he has a problem.

“You now jettison the Muslim-Muslim ticket first, that is a big problem for him because that’s what gave him power in the first place.

“You go around looking for a northern Christian, maybe a minority, and say the Muslims don’t like me, so you guys line up as you are now my new allies."

Baba-Ahmed asked rhetorically:

“How many northern Christians do you think will feel comfortable with a president who jettisoned a Vice President with the Muslim-Muslim ticket whom he won an election?"

Read more on the 2027 election:

• 2027 election: Primate Ayodele prophesies showdown, advises Tinubu on Shettima
• 2027 election: Kwankwaso breaks silence amid alleged plot to rejoin APC
• Pastor predicts north and south-east alliance ahead of 2027 election, mentions what will happen
• 2027 election: Pastor who correctly prophesied Enugu poll mentions candidate to defeat Tinubu, APC

Ahmed shuts down Shettima's replacement rumours

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ismaeel Ahmed, a former member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), calmed nerves amid growing rumours of internal friction within the ruling party.

Ahmed described the claims that President Tinubu is weighing his options as “malicious rumours”, insisting that there was no substance to the reports suggesting discontent between the two top leaders.

Source: Legit.ng