A key bloc within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned President Bola Tinubu against replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 general election, describing such a move as a “grave political miscalculation” that could threaten the party’s chances.
The North-Central APC Forum issued the warning on Thursday amid growing speculation that internal forces within the ruling party are pushing for a change in Tinubu’s running mate.
The debate was reignited after Vice President Shettima’s image was conspicuously missing from a banner displayed at the North-East zonal public hearing on the amendment of the APC constitution held in Maiduguri. The banner featured President Tinubu, five APC governors from the zone and the party’s national legal adviser.
The omission has fuelled renewed discussions about the future of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, with some party stakeholders advocating Shettima’s replacement by a Christian from the North in 2027. Groups from the North-Central have also been linked to calls for a vice-presidential slot from the region.
‘Changing a winning ticket is risky’
In a statement signed by its chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the North-Central APC Forum rejected the calls, insisting that altering the ticket would benefit the opposition and weaken Tinubu’s re-election prospects.
“There is serious danger in changing a winning ticket,” the statement said. “We totally and unequivocally reject calls and plans to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the next election.”
The forum argued that replacing Shettima would not attract new votes for the APC in the North, but could instead cost the president significant support.
It also dismissed arguments rooted in religious balancing, saying the North currently lacks a Christian candidate with the grassroots structure, national reach and political strength required to complement Tinubu’s electoral base.
North-Central eyes presidency in 2031
The forum further stated that the North-Central zone is not seeking the vice-presidential position, as it is focused on positioning itself for the presidency after Tinubu’s expected tenure ends in 2031.
According to the group, abandoning the Muslim-Muslim ticket would only strengthen the opposition, particularly if a coalition backed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fields Peter Obi as its presidential candidate in 2027.
The forum maintained that minorities in the North who voted for Obi in 2023 would likely do so again, regardless of who replaces Shettima.
“Basic political calculation shows that dropping Shettima makes no sense and is actually very dangerous,” the statement warned.
Rejection of foreign pressure claims
The APC forum also dismissed suggestions that international actors, including the United States and other Western powers, may be uncomfortable with the Muslim-Muslim ticket and could push for a change in 2027.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation,” the statement said, stressing that foreign influence should not determine the country’s democratic choices.
Background to the controversy
Calls for Shettima’s removal first gained prominence in July 2025, when APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed Tinubu for a second term at a stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe without mentioning the vice president.
The move reportedly sparked outrage, with Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum allegedly mobilising supporters to disrupt the event. Protests forced then APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Salihu to leave the venue under heavy security.
Despite the controversy, the North-Central APC Forum has urged President Tinubu to retain Shettima, arguing that continuity remains the party’s strongest path to victory in 2027.
