Tinubu locks in Shettima for 2027 re-election bid
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally retained Vice-President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, effectively putting to rest weeks of intense political speculation surrounding the composition of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
The confirmation came on Friday at the Continental Hotel in Abuja, where Ibrahim Masari, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, officially submitted the nomination forms of both Tinubu and Shettima to the APC leadership.
The development brings clarity to the ruling party’s trajectory following a wave of rumors that the President might replace his deputy as part of a broader political realignment ahead of the next general election.
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Insiders note that pressure had mounted in recent weeks, with some APC stakeholders—particularly from the North-East—holding back on publicly endorsing Shettima’s return. Critics of the arrangement had argued that the President might pivot to a Northern Christian running mate to alter the party’s strategic dynamics.
However, Friday’s submission cements the Tinubu-Shettima partnership, which originally secured victory for the APC in the contentious 2023 presidential election.
The submission ceremony drew a powerful gathering of party heavyweights, highlighting deep institutional backing for the ticket.
The event was led by the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma. Notably, the gathering also cut across party lines, featuring a mix of APC and opposition governors, including Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Also present were key members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), lawmakers from the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and various party stakeholders.
Confirming the submission, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to announce Tinubu’s status as the party’s consensus choice.
“About now, at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, President Tinubu submits INEC nomination form to the APC NWC as Sole Presidential Candidate for the 2027 Elections,” Dare stated.
He further confirmed: “President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has equally tapped Kashim Shettima, the current Vice President, Senator as his running mate for vice president in the 2027 election.”
With the formal submission of the forms, the APC has officially kicked off its campaign for a second term, sticking with the same socio-political configuration that brought it to power.
