The North‑Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has issued a strong warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and senior party leadership against moves to remove Vice President Kashim Shettima as the party’s running mate for the 2027 general election, describing such a step as a potentially grave political miscalculation.
The statement was released in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026, by the forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga.
The warning comes amid speculation within political circles and the APC that party stakeholders are advocating replacing Shettima with a Christian vice‑presidential candidate ahead of the next general elections.
Reports of the controversy intensified after Shettima’s photograph was reportedly omitted from a banner at a zonal party event in the North‑East, fuelling debates over his political future and the party’s ticket composition.
In the statement, the North‑Central APC Forum warned that removing Shettima could jeopardise the APC’s chances of retaining power in 2027, especially given the critical role of political calculations over symbolic gestures.
The forum argued that maintaining continuity with the Tinubu‑Shettima ticket, which brought electoral success in 2023, represents a strategic advantage for the ruling party.
The forum contended that religious sentiments should not drive high‑stakes decisions about the ticket, and emphasised that the North‑Central region is not pushing for the vice‑presidential slot at this stage, focusing instead on contesting the presidency in 2031 after Tinubu’s tenure.
It said replacing Shettima could weaken internal cohesion and strengthen opposition positions.
Alhaji Zazzaga also questioned the assumption that a new running mate would generate additional votes, noting that a change could lead to a loss of support among key demographics.
He said efforts to promote inclusivity should not come at the expense of the party’s electoral strategy and warned that abandoning the existing ticket arrangement “would only strengthen the opposition in 2027.”
The forum’s admonition reflects wider debates within the APC about the viability and composition of its ticket, with some party members advocating for broader representation.
However, the North‑Central APC Forum emphasised that any potential replacement should be guided by political realities and electoral arithmetic rather than sentiment or external pressures.
The APC Forum’s stance underlines ongoing internal party discussions as the ruling party approaches the 2027 general elections, with unity and strategic decision‑making emerging as central themes for stakeholders.
