The Presidency, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-East have unified in support of President Bola Tinubu’s decision to keep Vice President Kashim Shettima on the ticket for the 2027 presidential election. Supporters across the party have hailed the choice as a recognition of Shettima’s loyalty, competence, experience, and dedication to national service.
The Presidency stated that the move signals President Tinubu’s strong confidence in his deputy and ensures governance continuity. Speaker Abbas noted that the re-nomination highlights deep institutional trust, while North-East APC leaders emphasized that the decision affirms the region’s vital role in national politics.
Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, addressed the ticket in a Saturday article titled, “2027: Tinubu-Shettima and the Politics of Loyalty, Capacity, Continuity.” He explained that the President’s confirmation brings an end to months of public debate regarding Shettima’s position.
According to Nkwocha, retaining the Vice President protects the administration from opposition attempts to exploit imaginary internal rifts.
“By retaining VP Shettima, President Tinubu has done more than fill a space on the ballot. He has quelled a major source of needless political anxiety within the ruling party, shut down months of speculation over the Vice President’s place on the ticket, and reaffirmed the partnership that led the APC to victory in 2023,” Nkwocha wrote.
Nkwocha added that the choice balances loyalty with real executive capacity. He highlighted Shettima’s discipline, his defense of federal reforms, and his leadership within the National Economic Council (NEC) to advance the administration’s goals without overstepping bounds.
“The President has chosen to continue with a deputy who has shown discipline in office, defended the administration’s reforms, chaired critical national economic conversations, engaged governors through the National Economic Council, and carried the Renewed Hope Agenda message into policy rooms, public fora and political spaces without creating confusion about where authority resides,” he stated.
The Tinubu-Shettima partnership, established in 2022, combined Tinubu’s political network in the South with Shettima’s support base in the North, particularly the North-East.
While the same-faith ticket sparked debates prior to the 2023 elections, the APC maintained that the choice rested on competence and shared ideals over religious factors.
“The 2023 election eventually showed that the calculation had serious electoral weight,” Nkwocha said.
As the leader of the National Economic Council, Shettima has spent his term managing complex national policies on economic stabilization, food security, infrastructure, and minimum wage adjustments. Nkwocha noted that this deep familiarity with current policies makes him the most practical partner for a re-election campaign.
“A president entering a re-election cycle does not need a running mate who must first learn the language of the administration, rebuild trust with party actors, or negotiate his own place in the governing structure,” he said.
Nkwocha added that the move demonstrates to party loyalists that commitment is valued.
“Political parties are held together by more than manifestoes; they are held together by trust, predictability, and the belief that loyalty will not be discarded once power has been won,” Nkwocha stated.
Looking forward to 2027, Nkwocha acknowledged that the party must continue to prove its value through visible performance, noting that the focus has now shifted from ticket debates to core execution.
“The question is no longer whether VP Shettima will remain on the ticket. That question has been settled. The question now is how the Tinubu-Shettima partnership will convert continuity into confidence, confidence into mobilisation, and mobilisation into a renewed mandate,” he said.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas extended congratulations to Shettima, framing the re-nomination as an earned acknowledgment of his support for the President since they took office in May 2023. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, Abbas expressed that the ticket reflects a united front.
“Since taking office as Vice President, Kashim Shettima has remained loyal and dependable, which is why the administration stays focused and determined to improve the lives of citizens.
With this decision, President Tinubu exemplifies extraordinary leadership and astute political judgment. The President’s confidence and belief in Shettima continue to stand firm.
I make bold to say that this decision has further strengthened our party’s chances in the 2027 election. Without sounding conceited, APC will easily cruise to victory come January,” Abbas said.
Concurrently, APC leaders in the North-East expressed their gratitude to the President. Haruna Sardauna, signing for the Northeast APC Youth Critical Stakeholders Forum, called Shettima a highly effective and reliable partner whose performance justifies his selection.
“Shettima’s re-nomination is not only a personal victory but also a reaffirmation of the strategic importance of the Northeast in the national political equation. This is about continuity, stability, and rewarding service,” the statement read.
Sardauna thanked President Tinubu for keeping the vice-presidential position within the geopolitical zone.
“We want to sincerely appreciate His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for re-allocating the VP slot to the Northeast Zone for continuity with Vice President Kashim Shettima. This decision speaks to fairness, equity, and political wisdom,” he said.
The youth forum pledged to turn out heavily for the upcoming polls, promising strong regional support to back the ticket.
“Our youth make up over 70 per cent of the total registered voters in the Northeast. As the largest constituency, we will mobilise massively to support APC and pay back this act of trust and inclusion. The Northeast will not disappoint Mr. President,” Sardauna added.
