President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will name his running mate for the 2027 general election only after the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its next convention. This clarification was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
His comment comes amid swirling rumours that President Tinubu may drop Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 polls. The speculation gained traction following a recent APC stakeholders’ summit in Gombe, where speakers openly endorsed Tinubu for a second term but conspicuously failed to mention Shettima. The omission reportedly sparked controversy and momentarily disrupted proceedings as some delegates demanded clarity.
Reacting to the rumours in an interview with Daily Trust, Onanuga dismissed the concerns as baseless and unfounded. He described the speculation as “a non-issue,” explaining that it is standard under Nigeria’s presidential system to first nominate a presidential candidate before selecting a running mate.
“That’s what happened under Buhari,” Onanuga said. “He was nominated first, and his running mate came later. You don’t do both at once. Once INEC releases the timetable and the convention holds, the party will decide. If the president is nominated again, he will then pick a running mate.”
The presidential spokesman also brushed off claims of any internal rift between Tinubu and Shettima, describing such talk as “beer parlour gossip.”
“From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship,” Onanuga stated. “People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president. Absolute nonsense.”
While President Tinubu has yet to formally declare his re-election bid, political permutations and power plays within the APC suggest that the 2027 race is already beginning to take shape.
