Shettima’s future unclear as Presidency says Tinubu will name running‑mate after APC convention

Vice‑President Kashim Shettima will have to wait until the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its convention next year to know whether  President Bola Tinubu will choose him as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Spokesman to the President,  Bayo Onanuga, made this known in an  interview on Thursday.

Responding to a question on why the presidency has remained silent amid growing controversy over the omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima from a wave of endorsements for Tinubu, Onanuga dismissed suggestions that the silence amounted to tacit approval of the vice president’s exclusion.

“When I read the report, I dismissed it as a non‑issue. In a presidential system, the candidate emerges first and then selects a running mate. That’s what happened under Buhari—he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once.

“Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate,” he said.

Onanuga rejected suggestions that President Bola Tinubu’s two changes of deputy while Lagos governor foreshadow a plan to drop Shettima in 2027.

“That’s just speculation. Yes, when he was governor, there were issues. In his first term, he and his deputy, Kofo, didn’t get along, and she had to leave. Femi Pedro replaced her. In the second term, he retained Pedro, but Pedro later defected—he wanted to be governor. That’s why he had to go. I don’t want to reopen old wounds, but that’s what happened.

“So, it’s wrong to say he has a pattern of discarding deputies. There were specific political circumstances each time. That’s what I’m explaining,” he said.

The spokesman also dismissed rumours of friction between the president and his deputy.

“I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president—absolute nonsense.

“In this country, deputy roles—whether deputy governor or vice president—are always surrounded by rumours. Even when there’s no conflict, people around them will concoct stories. But as far as I know, Tinubu and Shettima work together very well,” he said.

Asked whether the APC might revisit the 2023 Muslim‑Muslim pairing, Onanuga insisted the debate had faded.

“Christians are living their lives. The president even attended the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. There’s nothing to worry about.

“Many of the names being speculated as potential running mates are Muslims. So again, this isn’t an issue,” he added.

Recall that Tinubu loyalists have mounted a wave of early endorsements, a move Onanuga said was triggered by opposition attacks.
“The endorsements are a reaction to something. If those in the so‑called coalition had not started throwing missiles at the Tinubu administration and the APC, the APC would have waited until early next year to respond. But we had to show that we’re not asleep but ready to square up. You can’t expect the president to sit by while his opponents are plotting openly against him.

“We’re grateful for the confidence they have in him. Of course, we welcome the endorsements, even though the campaign period hasn’t officially begun. Everyone knows that. But because the opposition jumped the gun, the ruling party can’t just fold its arms,” he added.

Speculation over Shettima’s fate intensified after his name was left out of several regional endorsements, culminating in a stormy APC stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe. Although delegates eventually backed the Tinubu‑Shettima ticket, the session turned chaotic when APC national vice‑chairman (North‑East) Salihu Mustapha did not announce  the vice‑president’s endorsement.

“It is a rare opportunity to have the vice president from our region; it reflects the trust and confidence reposed in us by President Tinubu and indeed the entire nation.

“The role played by Kashim Shettima—his leadership, dedication and vast experience—has been pivotal in advancing the priorities of this administration. The synergy between Tinubu and Shettima is one of strength, unity and shared vision, which guarantees that Nigeria is well represented.

“We also urge him to retain our own Kashim Shettima as his running mate. On behalf of the government and good people of Borno State, I endorse the Tinubu/Kashim ticket for 2027,” Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum told the gathering.

Mustapha later said he feared for his life after refusing to endorse Shettima at the summit.

“I had to defend myself. I called in my security detail and fought my way out. If not for the few boys shielding me—and my own strength—I could have been lynched,” he said.

“They tried to attack me, but I defended myself. Even amid the chaos, I told the governor, ‘Tell your people to stop.’ Because I can defend myself—I’m militarily trained and experienced in handling situations like this,” he added.

Justifying his position, the party official argued that choosing a running mate lies solely with the flag‑bearer.

“Politics today is about popular participation and stakeholder consensus. It’s about lobbying and building trust—not intimidation.

“Anyone truly loyal to a leader or political system should understand that once the party’s presidential candidate is endorsed, no one should take offence. Constitutionally—and I’m tired of repeating this—check the constitutions of all political parties in Nigeria. There is no provision for selecting a running mate during primaries.

“The endorsement at the National Summit was for the presidential ticket. We’re not INEC. We’re not the general electorate. Our mandate is to decide who becomes the party’s flagbearer. That’s where our role ends.”

Mustapha said forcing the issue would be counter‑productive.
“So, it’s counterproductive for us as a zone to try and force the issue, especially without first approaching the president in humility to say, ‘We’re here to consult and urge you to pick your running mate from our region.’

“If the president responds favourably, we can then return and say, ‘We’re endorsing the president and our zone.’ That’s respectful. But trying to force his hand or chanting slogans like ‘No Shettima, no Asiwaju’ in the hall—that’s blackmail.

“And that’s not the position of the North East. Not at all,” he said.
He insisted most stakeholders back Tinubu unconditionally.
“That is not the position of the North East.
“The stakeholders I consulted across five states in the region are endorsing Asiwaju unconditionally—without preconditions—while still expressing confidence in and solidarity with the vice president.

“Whether it’s a president and vice president, governor and deputy, or local government chairman and vice chairman—it’s always the same.
“There are intermediaries, conflict profiteers, who insert themselves between both camps and relay conflicting messages. They thrive on stoking tension and mistrust. It has been a recurring pattern in almost every administration throughout our political history,” he said.

(DAILY TRUST)