At a press briefing in Bauchi on Friday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Parliament, North‑East Zone, warned against swirling rumours of a plan to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on the 2027 presidential ticket. The group stated that such speculation not only threatens the party’s internal cohesion but could also weaken President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects.
Kabiru Kobi, chairman of the zonal Youth Parliament, said the rumours have stirred anxiety within party ranks and risk derailing the APC’s momentum ahead of the next general election. He urged stakeholders to take the matter seriously and act in defence of party unity.
Kobi further called on party leaders to reflect on past political missteps and avoid repeating internal divisions that could lead to collapse, citing the Peoples Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2015 general election as a cautionary example.
READ ALSO
While several APC figures—such as Ismaeel Ahmed—have dismissed the reports as baseless and malicious, asserting that no formal plans exist to remove Shettima, Kobi maintained that even unverified claims could erode public confidence in the Tinubu–Shettima ticket if left unaddressed.
Kobi, said the rumours have stirred anxiety within party ranks and risk derailing the APC’s momentum ahead of the next general election. He urged stakeholders to take the matter seriously and act in defence of party unity.
According to him, the APC Youth Parliament fully supports the Tinubu–Shettima ticket in 2027, describing the duo as “tested and trusted.”
Kobi further called on party leaders to reflect on past political missteps and avoid repeating internal divisions that could lead to collapse, citing the Peoples Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2015 general election as a cautionary example.
“We want to state it unequivocally clear that any attempt to reconfigure the joint ticket of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Kashim Shettima in 2027 will only bring resentment that could linger beyond the elections, with negative reverberations capable of affecting the party’s success.
“It is far from hidden that the ghost of the PDP’s past actions still haunts the party today — history has little patience for those who choose to ignore its lessons.
“As APC sails through these tumultuous waters, we must ask some pertinent questions: Can the party survive the machinations of fifth columnists within, who aim to use conspiracy theories to destroy the progress made with the 2027 elections on the horizon?
“Should we ignore all the lessons of history and allow excessive ambition to cloud the reasoning of key players, ignoring the dangers ahead?”
“At this juncture, we wish to inform His Excellency, our popular and charismatic leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that the calculated attacks are not truly aimed at the Vice President but at you. What these assailants are trying to achieve by this hypocrisy is to replace Kashim Shettima with someone of a fragile political reputation.
“They know fully well that the Vice President would pacify his supporters to leave everything to God, and that would leave you to face the wrath of the Nigerian populace. This is because — in His just nature — God dislikes injustice.”
He called for continued collaboration among party members and reaffirmed the group’s confidence in Tinubu’s leadership, especially his bold approach to economic reform.
