President Bola Tinubu has officially retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending weeks of speculation over the composition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
The decision was confirmed on Friday after the President’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari, submitted the nomination forms of Tinubu and Shettima to APC leaders at the Continental Hotel in Abuja.
The submission formally puts to rest reports that Tinubu was considering replacing Shettima with another candidate, including suggestions that the party was weighing the option of picking a northern Christian as its vice-presidential nominee.
Speculation had intensified in recent weeks after some APC stakeholders, including political figures from the North-East, failed to publicly endorse Shettima’s return to the ticket.
Several governors attended the event, including Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Babagana Zulum of Borno.
Also present were members of the APC National Working Committee, the party’s National Assembly caucus, members of the Federal Executive Council and other senior party officials.
The submission of the nomination forms marks the formal start of Tinubu’s bid for a second term on the APC platform, with Shettima remaining his running mate.
Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare also confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that Tinubu had submitted his nomination forms as the APC’s sole presidential candidate and had again chosen Shettima as his vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
