A presidency insider has dismissed speculations that President Bola Tinubu might drop Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 election, insisting the APC will retain the joint ticket.
Despite growing speculation over President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 running mate, an insider has revealed that Vice President Kashim Shettima will remain on the ticket. Reports had suggested Tinubu was considering replacing Shettima with a candidate from the North-west, Nigeria’s voting stronghold, sparking unrest within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A Villa source dismissed the rumours, insisting Tinubu never discussed such a move. “The president will run with Shettima. You can file it away. Stop worrying about the rumour. He will,” the source said, adding, “We (the APC) are winning the next election is all I know. Walahi!”
Speculations intensified after APC North-east leaders endorsed Tinubu for a second term in June 2025 without mentioning Shettima. The omission triggered outrage, with delegates chanting, “No Shettima, no APC in the North-east,” and threatening defections to the opposition.
Although APC governors from Yobe, Borno, and Gombe later reaffirmed support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, tensions persisted, highlighted by Shettima’s refusal to shake hands with former APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje at a public event.
Observers warn that the rift signals deep divisions within the party. However, the latest assurance from a presidency insider suggests the president will stand firmly with his deputy in 2027.