By Omeiza Ajayi
Abuja-The All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima may be replaced as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate, ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the claims as purely speculative, untrue and utterly baseless.
APC’s reaction came against the backdrop of speculations that it may review the Muslim–Muslim ticket that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election.
The Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, also weekend, warned the ruling party against the consequences of abandoning its Muslim-Muslim ticket and dropping VP Shettima.
“If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think,” Musawa had said.
According to her, politics in northern Nigeria is deeply shaped by identity, history and voter mobilisation, making the region highly sensitive to changes in political representation.
“The core north states, like Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, understand politics at a very deep level. Politics is a way of life. People wait every four years to line up and vote because that is where they feel they have influence,” she stated further.
Musawa rejected claims that the APC could reshuffle its presidential ticket without serious consequences, warning that such assumptions reflected a misunderstanding of northern political dynamics.
“I think if we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. People who suggest otherwise may not fully understand how politics works in the north,” she had said.
However, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party said its attention had been drawn to “growing media frenzy” over an alleged plan to substitute the vice president.
“While these stories have been mostly subtle, they recently assumed a new dimension when names of specific individuals were touted as possible replacements for Vice President Shettima,” the party stated.
It warned media organisations against giving space to unverified reports, urging them to avoid promoting what it described as rumours designed to cause division.
“Our party states in categorical terms that the stories are purely speculative, untrue and utterly baseless.
“We urge media organisations to refrain from lending their platforms to rumour-peddlers and mischievous ‘news sources’ of questionable provenance whose only intention is to promote discord and confusion in the polity,” it stated.
The party also noted that political activities remained restricted under existing laws and electoral regulations, stressing that it was not engaged in succession discussions at this time.
“Under our laws and electoral regulations, the ban on political activities remains in force,” Morka said, adding that the party is currently focused on governance.
“At this time, our Party remains focused on supporting President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima in delivering the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and entrenching its bold reforms that are now steadily transforming the economy, building prosperity, and uplifting the living conditions of our people,” APC said.
It cautioned its ministers, senior government officials and party leaders against making statements that could fuel unnecessary speculation.
“We call on our ministers, senior government and party officials to avoid, wittingly or unwittingly, stoking needless speculations, and to focus on their primary duty of diligent service to government and our party,” the party added.
It urged them to bolster “the success and achievements of President Tinubu, our inimitable and visionary leader.”
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