2027 Alert: North-Central APC Forum Warns – Don’t Replace Shettima, Peter Obi Could Win

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has warned against any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing such a move as a “grave political miscalculation.”

According to Ireporter Online, the warning comes amid reports that some interests within the ruling party are allegedly advocating for Shettima to be dropped from the APC ticket in favor of a Christian running mate. Speculation intensified after Shettima’s image was notably absent from a banner displaying APC leaders at the party’s zonal public hearing on constitutional amendments in Maiduguri. The banner featured President Bola Tinubu, five North-East governors, and the party’s National Legal Adviser, but omitted the Vice President.

Reacting to the development, the Forum, led by Chairman Saleh Zazzaga, stated in Abuja on Thursday that removing Shettima could jeopardize Tinubu’s re-election chances and weaken the party. “There is serious danger in changing a winning ticket. We totally and unequivocally reject calls and plans to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima… It will turn out to be a grievous political miscalculation,” the statement read.

Addressing suggestions that the North-Central region was lobbying for the vice-presidential slot, Zazzaga clarified that the zone is instead preparing for a presidential contest in 2031. “The North-Central is focused on the 2031 presidential election after President Tinubu’s tenure. We are not part of the agitation to replace Shettima,” he said.

The Forum criticized attempts to inject religious considerations into political strategy, arguing that no Christian candidate in the North possesses the necessary political infrastructure to complement Tinubu. “Abandoning the Muslim-Muslim ticket will only strengthen the opposition in 2027,” the Forum warned.

The group further noted that proponents of Shettima’s removal did not support Tinubu in the 2023 election and may not back him even if their demands are met. “If you check, you will notice that in 2023, most of their communities voted for Peter Obi of the Labour Party. What is likely is that Tinubu will lose support among core northerners, thereby reducing his votes and giving the advantage to Peter Obi,” the statement added.

The Forum dismissed concerns that international actors such as the United States or other Western countries might pressure Nigeria to abandon the Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027, insisting that “Nigeria is an independent nation, and nobody is going to dictate to us.” It emphasized that the Muslim-Muslim ticket contributed to victory in 2023 and warned that outside interference could undermine democracy and provoke unnecessary conflict.

The Forum urged President Tinubu and the APC leadership to resist both internal and external pressures, cautioning that conceding to such demands could weaken the party’s base, particularly in the North. “They do not want to see President Bola Tinubu re-elected. That is the only reason anybody with political knowledge would make such a request,” the statement concluded.