2027: Questions over Shettima’s fate

The endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by various party stakeholders and groups while consistently leaving out the name of Vice President Kashim Shettima has added fresh plots to the race for 2027, findings by our correspondents have indicated.

Weekend Trust reports that two years into his first term, President Tinubu received the formal backing of APC leaders to contest for a second term.

The endorsement took place at the APC National Summit, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, under the theme “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far.”

The event attracted high-profile attendance, including President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, APC governors, National Assembly leaders, members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), and other key stakeholders.

However, observers have noted that Shettima’s name was conspicuously left out throughout the summit proceedings—even though he was present at the venue.

Party members who spoke with our correspondents are divided over whether the endorsement of Tinubu by the various groups automatically covers the joint ticket given the president and his deputy in 2023, with many contending that it does not necessarily apply to both unless expressly stated.

Some observers wonder whether the silence on Shettima during the APC national summit where Tinubu was endorsed as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election was not deliberate.

It would be recalled that before the APC national summit, party leaders from the North West and North Central had endorsed President Tinubu as their sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, but also remained silent on whether Shettima would retain his place on the ticket.

There have been reports since last year about serious jostling by some politicians to have Shettima replaced as running mate, arguing that the 2023 joint ticket needs to be tinkered with, to appeal to some sections of voters in 2027.

The lack of mention of the vice president’s name during the endorsement has also triggered concerns in the North East, Shettima’s home zone, with some stakeholders calling for a meeting to deliberate on the situation and other issues affecting the health of the party in the region.

Fueling the speculation further are the re-election posters of President Tinubu in several major cities—posters that notably exclude Shettima’s image.

Political observers have also pointed out that, so far, only Borno State—Shettima’s home state—has specifically endorsed both Tinubu and Shettima for the 2027 ticket.

Following a meeting in April, APC stakeholders in Borno State, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, jointly endorsed the president and his vice president.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Governor Zulum declared: “We shall continue to support the noble objectives of the APC and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Come 2027, Insha’Allah, the APC will win all elective positions in Nigeria. We will do everything possible to see that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima return on a joint ticket to complete their first and second terms uninterrupted.”

President Tinubu and Shettima were elected on a joint ticket of the APC in 2023 but analysts say there’s no legal provision that guarantees a continuous joint ticket and that the choice of running mate is at the discretion of the flag bearer.