2027: North-Central APC reacts to calls for Tinubu to drop Shettima as running mate

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Calls for President Bola Tinubu to remove Vice President Kashim Shettima from his running mate list for the 2027 election have been denied by the North-Central All Progressives Congress, or APC, Forum.

Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, issued a statement in Abuja on Wednesday outlining the group’s stance.

After some North-Central stakeholders, acting under the North-Central Renaissance Movement, agitated for Tinubu to remove Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election, the APC Forum took a stand.

In order for the North-Central to back Tinubu for reelection, the Movement demanded that he select a running mate from that region.

The Movement claims that in 2027, the North-Central zone ought to provide Nigeria’s vice president.

The North-Central APC Forum, however, stated that its prior support of Tinubu for the 2027 election extended to the Vice President, rejecting the demands for Shettima’s replacement.

North-Central APC stakeholders are happy with Shettima and are not participating in calls for his replacement before the next election, according to a statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council for the 2023 election.

“The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum rejects calls on President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2027.

“The calls are not coming from stakeholders of the APC in the North-Central. We disassociate ourselves from the calls and we hereby emphasize that our endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election extends the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.

“For emphasis, we hereby again endorse President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the 2027 election.

“We urge Mr President not to pay any attention to the antics of individuals and groups who are trying to derail his administration, which has recorded so much achievements towards repositioning Nigeria on the part of progress and sustainable growth.

“We are satisfied with the role being played by Vice President Kashim Shettima in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, and we also commend the

working relationship between the President and the Vice President, which is being envied by those in the opposition, who are now trying to sow seeds of discord in the APC government.

“The North-Central APC Forum stands on the Tinubu/Shettima ticket with which our party emerged victorious in the 2023 election,” the statement said.

The people of the North-Central are satisfied with the President’s administration, thus the APC Forum, which had previously pledged to deliver six million votes for Tinubu in 2027, emphasized on its will to accomplish the goal.

“We also restate that the six million votes we promised Mr President are intact. We are happy with the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the ministerial portfolios and other appointments given to the North-Central, as well as infrastructural projects in the zone.

“However, if there are other opportunities, including infrastructural projects, that can come to the zone, we will also appreciate them,” the statement added.

The APC Forum highlighted that, today, in addition to the high profile position of SGF, occupied by Senator George Akume from Benue State, the North-Central zone is holding critical cabinet portfolios, as well as certain other crucial appointments in the Federal Government.

The statement named major ministries led by ministers from the North-Central to include: Ministry of Justice, headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, from Kwara; Ministry of Information and National Orientation, headed by Mohammed Idris from Niger State; Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, headed by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda from Plateau; Ministry of Women Affairs, headed by Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim from Nasarawa; Ministry of Special Duties, Intergovernmental Affairs, headed by Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, from the Federal Capital Territory, and Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, headed by Prof Joseph Utsev from Benue.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu was endorsed for a second term in office by the North-Central All APC Forum in December 2024.

The Forum announced its decision to support Tinubu for a second term, citing the numerous possibilities his administration has provided to the North-Central region since he became president in 2023.

“The Forum equally evaluated the programmes and initiatives of the Federal Government and it is evident that, since the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no other President has given the North-Central as many opportunities as much as President Bola Tinubu.

“No other President has brought as many infrastructural projects to the North-Central as the President Tinubu administration.

“After assessing the state of the nation, the North-Central APC Forum is of the view that President Bola Tinubu has done well to earn a second term in office.

“An assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s policies also shows that he is taking the country in the right direction and deserves the support of all Nigerians to get the country there.

“The economic policies introduced by President Tinubu are already making the expected impact, with the recent strengthening of the Naira in the foreign exchange market, improvement in volume of oil production, and rise in foreign reserves, among others.

“President Tinubu’s policies in the petroleum sector have already eliminated scarcity, and we believe that, with time, Nigerians will witness reduction in the cost of petroleum products, which would reverse inflation in the county.

“The APC North-Central Forum believes President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term to midwife these reforms which are already bearing fruit, and we call on all Nigerians to support his administration to improve the situation in the country.

“After extensive considerations, North-Central APC Forum has given the President a passmark on insecurity, appointments, infrastructure, economy and other areas. We stand firmly behind President Bola Tinubu as his bold leadership has brought significant progress to our region, and we believe he is the right person to continue leading Nigeria towards greater prosperity.

“We urge all Nigerians to rally behind the President and support him for a second term, to enable his administration to deepen the gains of his reform policies.

“Just as we worked for his election in 2023, the North-Central APC Forum assures President Tinubu and all his supporters that we will again work for his reelection in 2027,” the North-Central APC Forum said in a statement released to announce the endorsement of President Tinubu for the 2027 election.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.