With the deadline for submitting presidential nominations to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fast approaching, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly preparing to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, a move expected to preserve the party’s controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket.
After months of intense political speculation and internal lobbying, indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu is poised to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
The expected decision comes as political parties race to beat the July 11 deadline set by INEC for the submission of presidential and National Assembly nomination forms, leaving little room for further uncertainty within the ruling APC.
Highly placed sources within the APC say the party is finalising arrangements to submit Tinubu and Shettima as its presidential ticket, effectively ending months of speculation that the Vice President could be replaced.
The uncertainty followed reports of disagreements within sections of the party over whether the APC should retain the Muslim-Muslim ticket that delivered victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Despite the speculation, party leaders have consistently maintained that the decision on a running mate rests solely with President Tinubu.
Should Shettima be formally retained, the APC will head into the 2027 election with the same presidential ticket that secured victory four years earlier.
The question of Tinubu’s running mate has remained one of the biggest unresolved issues ahead of the 2027 election.
While the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has already presented former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has unveiled Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, the APC had delayed announcing its vice-presidential nominee, fuelling widespread political speculation.
INEC has fixed 6 p.m. on July 11 as the deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online portal.
Although President Tinubu had not formally announced his running mate at the time of this report, party insiders expressed confidence that Shettima would remain on the ticket unless there is an unexpected last-minute change before the submission deadline.
If confirmed, the decision would end months of uncertainty within the APC and reaffirm the Tinubu-Shettima political alliance ahead of what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most fiercely contested presidential elections. Attention now shifts to INEC’s nomination portal, where the party’s final submission is expected before the statutory deadline expires.