2027: Tinubu’s Running Mate Choice Coming Soon — Presidency Speaks

Election of 2027: The Presidency Discusses Tinubu’s Final Running Mate Selection Date
The All Progressives Congress (APC) must formally nominate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at its national convention in 2026 before Tinubu may declare his running mate for 2027, the presidency has stated. In response to persistent rumors about a potential shift in the vice presidential position, this announcement was issued.

There is no intention to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima, according to an interview released on June 19 by Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special assistant on communications and strategy. Despite some recent endorsements for Tinubu that did not specifically include the vice president, Onanuga denied rumors that Shettima was being marginalized. This omission, he said, is not out of the ordinary because the Nigerian presidential system typically chooses a candidate first, and then the running mate.

Onanuga also denied rumors that Tinubu’s previous actions as Lagos’s governor, including switching deputies, suggested he intended to unseat Shettima. “Those previous changes were the result of particular political disputes and do not reflect a standard practice,” he clarified. Tinubu and Shettima still have a great working relationship, he stressed, calling rumors of a rupture “beer parlour gossip.”

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Fears of Islamization, which arose during the previous election, have much subsided, Onanuga said when asked if another Muslim-Muslim ticket is possible. It is no longer a contentious subject, he noted, because the majority of names being considered as possible running mates are Muslims.

Additionally, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has voiced their opposition to the APC replacing Shettima. Emphasizing that it might be a bad idea to replace the vice president, the group called for extensive consultations prior to any such action. APC North-East stakeholders met recently in Gombe, where some leaders approved Tinubu without naming Shettima, amidst rumors of internal divisions. Following that, Governor Babagana Zulum urged the party to keep the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

Former Chief Security Officer Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), who served under the late Head of State General Sani Abacha, has formally announced his plan to run for president in 2027 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).