As Nigeria’s major political parties begin aligning their structures ahead of the 2027 general election, intense horse-trading within the villa has pushed a critical question to the forefront: Will Vice President Kashim Shettima maintain his spot on the ticket, or will President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seek a new partner? While the presidency has not issued any official communication confirming a change, the tactical silence from inner circles, combined with intense regional power maneuvers, suggests that Shettima’s return as the guaranteed Tinubu 2027 running mate remains the subject of high-stakes deliberation.
The uncertainty surrounding the joint ticket began to gain momentum following previous strategic party gatherings, notably an All Progressives Congress (APC) regional summit, where early endorsements focused strictly on the President, initially omitting the Vice President’s name. Though subsequent regional leadership meetings rushed to affirm loyalty to a joint Tinubu-Shettima ticket, the initial omission exposed structural vulnerabilities within the alliance. The ruling party’s national leadership has repeatedly moved to put out these fires. APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, previously issued statements debunking running mate replacement rumors, classifying them as baseless speculations designed to distract the administration. However, political analysts point out that in Nigerian politics, structural adjustments are rarely announced until the absolute last minute, keeping pressure on the incumbent Vice President.
In a highly symbolic move to counter the narrative of internal friction, Vice President Kashim Shettima personally led a high-powered delegation to the APC national secretariat in Abuja just days ago to formally submit President Tinubu’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the 2027 primaries. Speaking at the event, Shettima rallied party stakeholders, urging absolute solidarity behind the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” He stated that President Tinubu has delivered on the mandate of renewal, stability, and national rebirth, and that he has steered this ship through turbulent waters with courage, hence their support and reason for rallying around him.
Despite public displays of absolute alignment, backroom analysts suggest the president’s team is quietly running various numbers across key geopolitical zones. Several factors are keeping the ticket conversation fluid. First is Northern voter consolidation. With opposition elements attempting to solidify a massive Northern voting block under alternative alliances, the APC is weighing whether a ticket adjustment could further reinforce its grip on core northern states. Second is the religion and region matrix. The controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket of 2023 remains a major talking point. Strategic planners are evaluating if the dynamics of 2027 will require an alternative regional balance to blunt opposition momentum.
