Indications are strong that President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are at crossroads over the choice of vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election. The President is said to be particularly under pressure by lobbyists to drop Vice-President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the forthcoming general election.
Tinubu seems to have already secured the presidential ticket given the massive endorsement of his second term bid by various stakeholders of the APC, but power-play within the party appears to have left the fate of Shettima hanging in the balance.
A source close to the presidency and the party, told New Telegraph that the plot against the vice-president is not only gaining momentum but has seen some Northern APC leaders shopping for possible replacement.
Those on the cards according to the source, are the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin; a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; National Security Adviser, Nuhau Ribadu and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
The move, the source added, has split Northern APC leaders into camps based on zonal political cleavages, North-West and North-East. One of the camps is pushing for a switch to a Muslim-Christian ticket, while another is bent on retaining the Muslim-Muslim ticket as in 2023.
However, the vice-president’s camp is insisting on the status quo – Tinubu again running with Shettima. Recall that last weekend’s meeting of the North-East Caucus of the APC in Gombe State ended in chaos after key party leaders endorsed Tinubu for a second term, while conspicuously omitting Shettima, who hails from the zone.
While those rooting for a vicepresidential candidate from the North-West are looking at the of bulk votes the President stands to garner from such move, the plot to get Tinubu’s nod for Dogara or Ribadu is aimed at avoiding the crisis that may erupt in the North-East if Shettima is dropped. Senators Jibrin and Yari hail from the North-West, while Ribadu and Dogara are from the North-East as Shettima.
The source, who noted that the APC would have imploded before now over the 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket if not for the way President Tinubu managed the issue, however, said the situation is not likely to be the same come 2027. “There is intense lobbying for the vice-presidential slot ahead of the 2027 elections within the ruling APC as the plot against Shettima thickens.
This has not only left President Tinubu at crossroads, but speaks to an imminent implosion that may rock the ruling party if not carefully handled. “As it stands, the President is undecided on whether to run with Shetttima or not, but I will tell you that he is under pressure over the issue given the implications of whatever choice he makes.
“Those positioning their preferred choices to take over from the vice-president are even pushing for impeachment of the vice-president if his camp insists on pairing him with President Tinubu. “But I can also tell you that Shettima is not likely to give up without a fight.
He is reaching out to APC leaders in the North and South as well as notable political and religious leaders across the country,” the source said. Meanwhile, the Adamawa State chapter of the APC, yesterday, debunked reports that it endorsed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Ribadu, for any political position during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Hong Local Government Area of the state.
A statement by the party signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Muhammed Abdullahi, described the report as a “mischievous distortion” of the true purpose and outcome of the meeting, which was part of the party’s ongoing grassroots mobilisation tour across local government areas in the state.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Adamawa State chapter of the APC has been drawn to a news item circulating in some sections of the media regarding a purported endorsement of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. “We wish to state categorically that the report is entirely misleading and misrepresents the purpose and proceedings of the meeting held in Hong.”
According to the statement, the gathering was organised to strengthen the party’s unity, reenergise grassroots structures, and communicate the unanimous decision of the state, zonal, and national leaderships of the APC to support President Tinubu for a second term in office.
The party clarified that while a vote of confidence was indeed passed in favour of Ribadu, who hails from Adamawa State for his stellar performance as NSA, the position should not be misconstrued as an endorsement for any political ambition.
“There is no basis or justification for endorsing the NSA or any appointee. Appointments are made solely at the discretion of Mr. President. We as a party respect that prerogative and cannot impose or pre-empt his decisions,” the party noted.
