From Moshood Karim
The Presidency has refuted widespread speculation suggesting that President Bola Tinubu is considering dropping Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 general election. Uptown Press can report.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made the clarification following controversy that arose during the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ summit in Gombe. The omission of Shettima’s name from an endorsement of Tinubu’s second-term bid caused a stir, leading some delegates to question why the Vice President was overlooked.
Onanuga, however, dismissed the speculation as a “non-issue.” He explained that in a presidential system, the candidate is selected first, followed by the choice of a running mate. “That’s what happened under Buhari; he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once. Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate,” he stated.
Speaking with the Daily Trust, Onanuga described rumours of tensions between Tinubu and Shettima as “beer parlour gossip.” “I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president. Absolute nonsense,” he said.
As preparations for the 2027 election intensify, the statement aims to quell uncertainty within the party and reaffirm the strong bond between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.
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