The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has firmly rejected renewed calls to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that such a move would amount to a grave political miscalculation capable of costing the ruling party victory.
The warning comes amid fresh speculation within the APC following the omission of Shettima’s photograph 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 North-East, and the party’s National Legal Adviser, but conspicuously left out the Vice President.
The omission has reignited debates over the future of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027, with some party stakeholders and pressure groups—particularly from the North-Central—calling for Shettima’s replacement with a Christian from the North.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the North-Central APC Forum dismissed the agitation as dangerous and ill-advised, stressing that changing a “winning ticket” would only strengthen the opposition and weaken President Tinubu’s re-election chances.
“There is serious danger in changing a winning ticket. 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 said.
The group warned Tinubu and APC leaders against listening to such calls, describing them as a “grievous political miscalculation” driven by individuals who allegedly do not have the party’s interest at heart.
According to the Forum, the North-Central zone is not interested in producing the Vice President in 2027, as it is positioning itself for the presidency in 2031 after Tinubu’s tenure. It also cautioned against injecting religious sentiment into electoral strategy, arguing that the North currently lacks a Christian candidate with the grassroots strength, national appeal, and political structure required to complement Tinubu’s electoral base.
The Forum maintained that replacing Shettima would not deliver new votes to the APC in the North. Instead, it warned that such a move would alienate core northern supporters and lead to a significant loss of votes.
It further argued that even if the opposition coalition backed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fields Peter Obi as its presidential candidate in 2027, dropping Shettima would not change voting patterns, as most minority voters in the North would still support Obi regardless of Tinubu’s running mate.
“Those calling for the Muslim-Muslim ticket to be dropped did not vote for President Tinubu in 2023, and they will not vote for him in 2027—even if Shettima is replaced with a Christian,” the Forum stated.
The group added that yielding to such pressure would only hand a strategic advantage to the opposition, particularly if Tinubu loses support among his traditional northern base.
Addressing claims that Western powers, including the United States, may be uncomfortable with the Muslim-Muslim ticket—especially in light of allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria—the Forum insisted that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and should not bow to foreign influence.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket gave us victory in 2023. Nigeria is an independent nation, and nobody will dictate to us,” the statement said, warning that external interference could destabilize the country’s democratic process.
DAILY POST reports that agitation over Shettima’s future as running mate first surfaced in July 2025, when APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, publicly endorsed Tinubu for a second term without mentioning the Vice President at a stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe.
The development reportedly sparked outrage, with Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum allegedly mobilising supporters to disrupt the event. Former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and Salihu were eventually escorted out of the venue under heavy security as protests erupted.
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