The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has advised President Bola Tinubu to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the Muslim-Muslim ticket will not affect his chances.
In a statement issued by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the Forum argued that calls to change the ticket are unnecessary, insisting the combination worked in 2023. According to Zazzaga, the choice of a running mate is a political strategy, and with prominent Christians from the Middle Belt already holding key positions, the region is well-represented.
The statement read, “The Muslim-Muslim ticket will not affect President Bola Tinubu’s chances in the Middle Belt, which is part of the North-Central, and this is because of the key positions held by Middle Belt Christians in the APC government.”
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The Forum also stated, “We can guarantee that Tinubu will get 90 percent of the votes from the North-Central,” and added that there is “no need to take the needless risk of changing a winning team.”
The Forum questioned the logic of those calling for a change, asking, “Now if Peter Obi is to come out again in 2027, as expected, what is the guarantee that they will vote for Tinubu even if he is to drop Shettima and replace him with a Christian? Does it mean that these people will now leave Peter Obi and vote for Tinubu?”
The statement concluded with advice to the President “not to change what worked in the last election. Maintaining the same team will further strengthen the chances of the APC in 2027.”
The Forum’s position is contrary to a recent warning from the Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum, led by Dominic Alancha.
Speaking on Channels Television, Alancha had argued that the Muslim-Muslim ticket cost the APC several northern states in the 2023 election, including Nasarawa, Plateau, and the FCT, and warned that the party would lose more ground if it repeated the ticket in 2027.
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