Kashim Shettima

By Muhammad Sulaiman 

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has reacted to Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s claim that prominent political figures in Jigawa State, including himself, are supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Shettima had made the claim while listing Lamido among those allegedly backing the APC administration.

However, Lamido expressed surprise at the statement, questioning how he could have joined the APC in 2026 when he did not join the party in 2014.

In his response, Lamido said:

“God works in mysterious ways! I did not join the APC in 2014, but I have supposedly joined now in 2026? Although a Kanuri man said it, I am not surprised. But my response, in your language, is ‘Kattuwunum!’”

Lamido’s remarks indicate his rejection of Shettima’s claim that he is among those supporting the APC.

By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu

Nigeria’s preparedness for climate-related emergencies faces another important test as a strong El Niño event gathers momentum, with the potential to influence weather patterns, livelihoods, and public safety in the months ahead. For a country already grappling with recurring floods, dry spells, rising temperatures and other climate-related challenges, the development is a reminder that the consequences of a disaster are often determined long before it occurs.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This warming affects atmospheric circulation and can alter rainfall and temperature patterns across different parts of the world. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), in its September 2026 update, confirmed that the event was firmly established and expected to strengthen, with a near-certain likelihood of persisting through February 2027. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had also confirmed the onset of a strong El Niño event in its August climate update.

However, Nigeria’s implications require careful attention. El Niño does not produce identical weather conditions everywhere, and its effects in any country depend on other regional climate systems. Its influence can contribute to unusual temperature and rainfall patterns, increasing the risks of heat stress, water shortages, pressure on agriculture and, in some locations, weather-related emergencies. These possibilities make reliable forecasts, timely public information and practical preparedness particularly important.

The challenge is not simply to understand the phenomenon but to ensure that government institutions and communities are ready to respond to the risks it may create. This is where the work of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) becomes particularly relevant.

Under the leadership of its Director General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, the Agency has continued to strengthen its approach to disaster management, with greater emphasis on early warning, coordination and anticipatory action. The objective is to move beyond responding after an emergency has occurred and build systems that enable relevant authorities to identify threats, prepare communities and take necessary steps before situations deteriorate.

A significant development was Vice President Kashim Shettima’s directive in June 2026 to activate the Fusion and Trigger Room concept within NEMA. Following a meeting of the Anticipatory Action Task Force, the initiative was designed to strengthen information coordination, identify emerging risks, and support timely decisions on early action against flooding and other climate-related hazards. NEMA also disclosed that it had prioritised high-risk areas and issued flood early-warning advisories to support preparedness.

The Agency has also strengthened its operational information system. On August 4, 2026, Mrs Umar activated the National Emergency Operations Centre to improve the monitoring, collation and analysis of information on the flood situation across the country. The Centre is expected to provide a central platform for harmonising information from relevant sources and supporting coordinated decisions during emergencies.

Beyond its internal structures, effective disaster preparedness depends on cooperation among institutions with different but complementary responsibilities. This importance was reflected in the inter-agency meeting hosted by NiMet on August 21, 2026, ahead of implementing the Early Warnings for All initiative in Nigeria. NEMA, NiMet, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, the National Space Research and Development Agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission and other partners participated in discussions around the country’s 2026–2029 implementation roadmap for a coordinated, people-centred early-warning system.

These efforts are important, but their success must ultimately be measured by what happens beyond government offices and emergency coordination centres. A forecast does not protect a household simply because it has been issued. It becomes useful when the information reaches people in a language they understand and prompts them to take appropriate action.

The scale of Nigeria’s exposure to flooding illustrates the importance of this responsibility. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency identified 14,118 communities in 266 local government areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory as being at high risk of flooding in 2026. Such figures underline the need for local authorities to strengthen drainage systems, enforce appropriate land-use regulations, prevent construction on waterways and ensure that evacuation arrangements are in place where necessary.

Citizens also have a responsibility to take warnings seriously. During periods of intense heat, people should drink sufficient clean water, reduce unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight, wear light clothing and pay particular attention to children, older persons and people who may be more vulnerable to heat-related illness. Households should use water carefully, maintain clean surroundings and follow reliable weather updates from NiMet and NEMA.

For farmers, access to timely climate information can help guide decisions on planting, crop selection, water use and other farming practices. Communities in flood-prone areas should keep drainage channels clear, avoid dumping refuse in waterways and never attempt to cross flooded roads or moving water. Where evacuation advice is issued, residents should act promptly rather than wait until the situation becomes dangerous.

State and local governments must also translate national warnings into practical interventions. This includes investing in drainage and water-management infrastructure, strengthening local emergency committees, supporting public awareness campaigns and ensuring that vulnerable communities are not left out of preparedness plans. Traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations and the media have equally important roles in ensuring that safety information reaches the people who need it.

Ultimately, no single agency can prevent every climate-related emergency. NEMA’s responsibility to coordinate disaster management must be matched by the commitment of other government institutions and the willingness of citizens to act on credible information. The current El Niño event should therefore be treated not merely as a weather development but as an opportunity to strengthen the country’s preparedness culture.

The true measure of disaster management is not only how quickly emergency teams respond after tragedy strikes, but how many lives, homes and livelihoods are protected because action was taken early. As Nigeria navigates the months ahead, the message is clear: preparedness cannot begin when disaster arrives. It must begin before the storm.

Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu is a journalist and syndicate writer based in Abuja.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Vice President Kashim Shettima has acknowledged the economic hardship facing Nigerians as a result of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms but appealed to citizens to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Shettima made the appeal on Sunday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River State.

While defending the administration’s economic policies, the Vice President argued that although the reforms had imposed difficulties on citizens, their benefits were beginning to emerge and Nigerians should allow more time for the policies to deliver their expected results.

He compared Tinubu’s leadership approach with that of Singapore’s former Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, noting that difficult decisions were sometimes necessary to achieve long-term national development.

Shettima urged Nigerians to assess the administration’s performance in the context of the economic situation it inherited when it assumed office in 2023.

He also called on Cross River residents to support the re-election of Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu, Deputy Governor Peter Odey and APC candidates contesting legislative positions in 2027.

Speaking at the rally, Governor Otu highlighted several federal infrastructure projects expected to benefit the state, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport and the proposed Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat in Calabar.

According to him, the projects could improve transportation, attract investments and create employment opportunities for residents.

Otu also cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as one of the Federal Government’s initiatives aimed at reducing the financial burden of tertiary education on families.

He urged residents to support the APC in the forthcoming general elections.

The rally was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the National Assembly, APC governors, party officials and other political stakeholders.

The Daily Reality

By Lawan Bukar Maigana

There are people who go on leave to escape books, and there are people who go on leave only to escape the office. Then there is Kashim Shettima, for whom a leave without books may be like a library without shelves: technically possible, but fundamentally incomplete.

The two-week leave has awakened the bookism in him. After years of governance, meetings, memos, policy conversations and the endless grammar of public administration, one would imagine that a man might simply surrender himself to sleep, travel with his family to some Shangri-La den in Dubai, or disappear into the soft luxury of doing absolutely nothing. But Shettima has never appeared to be a man who considers idleness a convincing definition of rest. For him, perhaps, rest is simply another opportunity to read.

This is not a new discovery. I wrote in 2022 about Shettima as Nigeria’s Modern Day Philosopher-King, drawing from Plato’s idea that leadership and philosophy ought to meet in the same person. Looking back now, I realise that perhaps I was only describing one half of the equation. The philosopher needs a kingdom, yes, but the philosopher also needs books. And Shettima seems to understand that the quickest way to empty a philosopher is to deprive him of reading.

His relationship with books is almost personal. He does not merely read them; he appears to court them. There have been accounts of him browsing bookstores while travelling, moving from one section to another and recommending books to people around him. He has also been described as someone who would choose books over material prizes.

I once had a conversation about this unusual book obsession with Rukaiya el-Rufai, the National Coordinator of Nigeria’s Human Capital Development Programme. She told me something that stayed with me: when it comes to gifts, what impresses her boss the most is a good book. Her advice was simple: when you travel, buy him high-value books. According to her, such a gift can make him happier than a designer perfume.

That, in itself, is a fascinating portrait of a man. While some people measure affection by the price tag on a gift, the intellectual measures it by the depth of thought behind it. A perfume evaporates. A book lingers. A designer bottle may occupy a shelf, but a good book can occupy the mind. This may explain why Shettima’s leave does not seem to be a vacation from intellectual activity. It is more like an intellectual retreat. The office may have been left behind, but the books followed him. The files may have been closed, but the pages remained open.

And when he finally returns to work, we should perhaps prepare ourselves. The post-leave effect in governance may not simply be a refreshed Vice President. It may be a more heavily footnoted one. Every conversation may come with a reference. Every decision may acquire a historical context. Every policy discussion may suddenly develop a philosophical foundation. A simple question could receive an answer, a counterargument, a historical example and, if one is not careful, a brief literature review.

That is the bookism. But beneath the humour lies something serious. Leaders do not govern only with budgets, files and official briefings. They govern with ideas. And ideas, when properly cultivated, are often born from the discipline of reading.

Shettima’s book habit therefore tells us something beyond the man himself. It reminds us that governance should not be an intellectual desert. Public office should not terminate curiosity. Power should not become an excuse to stop learning. A leader who reads is constantly exposed to worlds beyond his immediate environment. He encounters ideas that challenge him, histories that humble him, failures that warn him and possibilities that expand his imagination.

Perhaps that is why, for Shettima, a two-week leave can still become a classroom. He may have left the office, but he never really left learning. And when he returns, the books will return with him, quietly packed into the vocabulary and ideas that will eventually find their way back into governance.

So, Nigerians, prepare yourselves. The Vice President is coming back from leave. And judging by his relationship with books, he cannot leave without reading. Therefore, he is returning not only refreshed but also armed with refined administrative and policy ideas that can help make Nigeria better.

Lawan Bukar Maigana is a media and communications specialist, development advocate, storyteller, and social change driver from Borno State, Nigeria. He can be reached via email at lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Vice President Kashim Shettima has defended the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying the president should be applauded rather than criticised for the measures.

Shettima made the remarks on Monday during the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba, the state capital.

He also praised Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for publicly supporting the Federal Government’s economic reforms. According to the vice president, Soludo stood by his convictions during the 2023 presidential election and argued that electoral victory would come through popular support rather than intimidation.

Speaking on the country’s economic outlook, Shettima said Nigeria had moved from a period of limited capital availability to one of growing investment inflows.

“Professor Soludo, you have done a lot of things for the federal government, especially in informing Nigerians where we were coming from — from reserves of $3 billion,” he said.

“When we were experiencing capital plight and scarcity, now we are experiencing capital inflows.

“Our foreign reserves have gone up to over $52 billion and counting in a turbulent world. Even the president deserves commendation and not condemnation.”

The vice president also assured investors that the Federal Government would continue to support genuine investments and work with state governments to remove barriers that hinder business growth.

Official figures show that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $35.09 billion on May 29, 2023, when the Tinubu administration took office. The reserves later rose to $51.03 billion in June 2026, which marked the country’s highest level since January 20, 2009.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad 

President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election is both a political and strategic calculation. Rather than introducing uncertainty into an already established political partnership, the President has chosen continuity, a decision that reflects the realities of Nigeria’s electoral politics, geopolitical balancing, and coalition-building.

Politics, particularly presidential politics in Nigeria, is rarely driven by sentiment. It is fundamentally about numbers, alliances, regional interests, and electoral strategy. Every major decision is weighed against one overriding objective: securing the broadest possible coalition needed to win an election. Viewed from that perspective, retaining Shettima was arguably the most pragmatic option available to the President.

One of the most immediate advantages of the decision is that it effectively closes the chapter on the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the APC’s decision to field two Muslim candidates generated widespread debate, especially among many Christians who expressed concerns about religious inclusion and national balance.

However, after more than three years in office, that issue has largely lost its political intensity. While differing opinions remain, the fears that dominated public discourse during the 2023 campaign have, to a considerable extent, subsided. By retaining Shettima, President Tinubu has denied political opponents the opportunity to revive an issue whose electoral potency has significantly diminished.

Beyond the religious debate lies an even more delicate consideration: Nigeria’s geopolitical balance. Had President Tinubu replaced Shettima with another politician from the North-East, the North-West, the country’s largest voting bloc, could have interpreted the move as another instance in which its political aspirations were overlooked, potentially reigniting debates about equity and representation.

Conversely, choosing a replacement from the North-West would almost certainly have generated discontent in the North-East. Having produced the incumbent Vice President, the region would naturally expect to retain the position. Removing Shettima without any compelling political or governance justification could have alienated key stakeholders and weakened support in a region that remains strategically important to the APC.

Some time ago, a number of individuals campaigned for the selection of a northern Christian as the Vice President, arguing that a Muslim-Christian ticket would be more politically acceptable. While the proposal appealed to those seeking religious balancing, it overlooked the practical realities of Nigerian presidential elections.

For a southern Muslim presidential candidate seeking the presidency, pairing with a northern Christian is not necessarily the most pragmatic electoral formula if the objective is to maximise support across Northern Nigeria. Presidential elections are rarely won on symbolism alone. They are won through careful coalition-building, political structures, regional alliances, and voting strength. In Nigeria, electoral success is driven as much by geopolitical realities and numbers as it is by perception.

President Tinubu has built his political career on strategic calculation rather than emotional decision-making. Over several decades, he has demonstrated an ability to assemble winning political coalitions by focusing on electoral arithmetic, regional dynamics, and long-term political stability. His decision to retain Shettima is consistent with that political philosophy.

There is also the question of continuity. Since assuming office in 2023, Tinubu and Shettima have worked together to lead the administration, build relationships across government, and strengthen the APC’s political structures nationwide. Replacing a sitting Vice President without a compelling reason could have created unnecessary speculation about internal divisions and handed the opposition a fresh political narrative.

By retaining Shettima, President Tinubu has instead projected stability, confidence, and consistency. The decision preserves an established partnership, reassures party supporters, and allows the APC to approach the 2027 election with a united front.

Ultimately, successful presidential campaigns are built not on emotion but on careful political judgment. Difficult decisions are inevitable, but experienced politicians choose the option that minimises political risk while maximising electoral advantage.

Judged against Nigeria’s electoral realities, geopolitical sensitivities, and the imperative of preserving a broad national coalition, President Tinubu’s decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima was not only the least controversial choice,it was the most politically strategic.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election after submitting the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination forms.

The development formally confirms that Tinubu and Shettima will once again fly the APC’s presidential ticket in the next general election.

The president’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari, announced the development and submitted the nomination forms on behalf of Tinubu during a brief event held at the Continental Hotel in Abuja.

The event attracted several senior figures of the ruling party, including Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, who led APC governors to the occasion.

Members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), the party’s caucus in the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), as well as other party leaders and stakeholders, also attended the event.

Tinubu had initially nominated Masari as a placeholder running mate in June 2022 while the party concluded consultations on its vice-presidential candidate. He later selected Shettima as his substantive running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The submission of the nomination forms officially marks the beginning of Tinubu’s campaign for a second term in office on the platform of the APC, with Shettima remaining his running mate.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has praised Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for his role in Nigeria’s development and his intellectual contributions to national discourse.

Shettima spoke on Tuesday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, during Soludo’s inauguration for a second term. He attended the event as a representative of President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, his senior special assistant on media and communications, the vice-president described Soludo as a committed public servant with strong ideas and dedication to national progress.

“The policies of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, have benefited from the candour, specialist insight, and patriotic counsel of this distinguished economist, this restless thinker, and this public intellectual of uncommon range, both in open fora and in private conversations. And that is how it should be,” Shettima stated.

“That is what it means to be in the business of nation-building. It means placing the welfare of the federation above the vanity of partisan fences. It means understanding that Nigeria is too precious a vessel to be abandoned to the storms simply because the rowers wear different colours.”

He said Soludo has shown that leadership can bring people together without conflict. He noted that such leadership can persuade without disrespect and remain firm without losing its values, especially at a time of division.

“It is therefore no surprise that his people have welcomed him again and entrusted him with another term to hold the rudder of this great state and guide it farther into safe and prosperous waters,” he stated, declaring that “the people of Anambra are today renewing not just a mandate, but a covenant with competence.”

“And as Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim takes this oath once again beside him, the state is also affirming that leadership is not only about the brilliance of the man at the top but also about the steadiness, loyalty, and discipline of those who help translate vision into order and order into progress,” the vice-president added.

Shettima said the Anambra governor has demonstrated that political differences do not have to lead to conflict. He noted that such differences can create room for cooperation.

“Professor Soludo has shown, too, that it is possible to see beyond the dangerous shenanigans that so often pass for politics in our clime and to keep faith with the higher calling of public life,” he said.

The vice-president also highlighted Soludo’s influence on national conversations. He said the governor’s views on economic and political matters attract wide attention.

He said Soludo has maintained a cordial working relationship with the federal government. He added that this has created stability in engagements between both sides.

According to him, the governor has demonstrated a commitment to real change rather than political rhetoric.

Shettima said the Anambra government has taken steps to improve public order, strengthen security, and tackle criminal activities in parts of the state. He expressed confidence that the second term would consolidate earlier achievements.

He added that the federal government remains ready to work with state governments that prioritise the welfare of citizens.

In his speech, Soludo pledged to serve the state with renewed dedication. He said his administration would build on the progress recorded in his first term, with focus on development and transformation.

“Anambra state has witnessed significant progress in the health, education, financial, agricultural, and other sectors under his leadership,” he said.

The governor also expressed appreciation to the people of Anambra for their support during the last election.

“The unprecedented 73 percent of the votes you cast in our favour was more than ordinary votes but an affirmation of love, patriotism, and partnership in rebuilding our homeland. We will never take your historic support for granted,” he said.

Soludo also thanked President Tinubu, Vice-President Shettima, and their spouses for their support.

By Anwar Usman

The All Progressive Congress Forum North-Central has advised President Bola Tinubu to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The statement was made by the forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, in Abuja on Saturday.

In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum, led by Dominic Alancha, warned Tinubu against a repeat of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, noting that it cost the APC several northern states like Nasarawa, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory in the 2023 presidential poll.

Alancha further warned that the APC would lose more ground in the North, particularly in the Middle Belt, if the party repeats the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the next presidential election.

However, according to the group, calls for the President to drop the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the next election are unnecessary, insisting that the combination worked for the APC in 2023.

Zazzaga explained that the choice of running mate was a political strategy aimed at ensuring victory for the party and should not be seen as an attempt to sideline any religious group.

He further argued that with key positions in government already occupied by prominent Christians from the Middle Belt, including the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the region remains well represented.

 The statement in part 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.

“We can guarantee that Tinubu will get 90 per cent of the votes from the North-Central. Tinubu’s achievements in office will guarantee his reelection, and as a result, there is no need to take the needless risk of changing a winning team.

“Those who are calling on President Bola Tinubu to change Vice President Kashim Shettima, basing their agitation on the Muslim-Muslim ticket, if you check, you will notice that in 2023, most of their communities voted for Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“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 drops Shettima and replaces him with a Christian? Does it mean that these people will now leave Peter Obi and vote for Tinubu?”

The Forum maintained that Tinubu’s performance in office would play a decisive role in determining his chances of re-election, adding that the President should focus on consolidating his achievements rather than altering the political structure that brought him victory in 2023.

 The statement concluded, “We advise Mr President not to change what worked in the last election. Maintaining the same team will further strengthen the chances of the APC in 2027″.

By Musa Shehu

The rising speculation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may replace Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 elections is not just a distraction—it is a dangerous political gamble that could cost the All Progressives Congress (APC) everything it has built since 2015.

While official voices try to downplay the narrative, recent events—especially within the party’s North-East wing—indicate that the matter is no longer mere rumour. What happened in Gombe, the calculated omissions in party endorsements, and the president’s deafening silence all point to a coordinated, if cautious, effort to test the waters of a political switch. But history, logic, and the current political climate all speak clearly against such a move.

Also, there has been another disturbingly growing speculation that President Tinubu may consider replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima with Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. While this idea may appear strategic on the surface, it would be a serious miscalculation.

Kwankwaso is not as capable or disciplined as Shettima. He lacks the patience, composure, and loyalty that Shettima has consistently demonstrated both during the 2023 campaign and throughout his time as vice president. Unlike Shettima, who has proven to be a team player and a stabilizing figure in the presidency, Kwankwaso is widely seen as a local champion whose political relevance rarely extends beyond Kano.

Again, Kwankwaso is also known for his domineering style and confrontational approach. He often moves with a crowd of blindly loyal supporters who tend to stir division rather than build consensus. Tinubu needs a dependable and steady partner, not a disruptive and self-centered figure who could complicate governance. Replacing Shettima with Kwankwaso would be inviting internal crisis, not national progress.

Moreover, Shettima is not just a placeholder or ceremonial figure in the Tinubu presidency. He was a key player in Tinubu’s emergence, standing firmly with him when many in the North, especially the political elite, were either undecided or opposed to Tinubu’s ambition.

His nomination as vice president was not just strategic—it was loyal, bold, and calculated to balance the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket in a way that maintained the party’s regional grip while managing national tension. Attempting to discard him now undermines that delicate balance and sends a dangerous message to APC loyalists and the broader Northern constituency: loyalty is negotiable, and regional representation can be sacrificed at will.

Recent developments in the APC suggest that some within the party see Shettima as expendable. His name was glaringly omitted during key moments in the party’s North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe. The violent reactions from party delegates who stormed the stage, chanting Shettima’s name and attacking speakers, are not random acts of protest. However, they reflect genuine political frustration and a deep sense of betrayal.

The North-East, especially Borno—Shettima’s home state—has stood firmly behind the APC even in difficult times. Discarding its most prominent representative in the federal government would not only be unwise, but also politically suicidal.

Moreover, dropping a sitting vice president in a bid for second term is historically rare and politically dangerous. Nigeria’s democratic experience, shaky as it is, has shown that stability in leadership tickets often yields better results.

Obasanjo retained Atiku in 2003 despite personal and political differences. Jonathan ran with Sambo in both 2011 and 2015. Buhari did not drop Osinbajo in 2019. In each of these cases, keeping the vice president on the ticket was a signal of continuity, unity, and loyalty to political partnerships. So why does Tinubu attempt to break from this tradition? This, according to many, will not be seen as strategic—it will be interpreted as cold, calculated betrayal.

Moreover, there is also no credible reason that has been given—or can be given—for dropping Shettima. He has not been involved in any scandal. He has not rebelled against the president or the party. He continues to represent the administration with measured tone, loyalty, and a calm that contrasts with the chaos in some parts of the country.

The idea that he lacks “visibility” is hollow. Shettima has always been a backroom operator, more interested in delivering results than seeking applause. That was his style as governor of Borno, and it remains his approach as vice president.

Furthermore, the APC risks opening old wounds and repeating past political mistakes if it proceeds with this plan. In 2015, the PDP lost its northern base largely due to internal exclusion and the perception that it had betrayed zoning arrangements. That single miscalculation allowed a coalition to form around Buhari, ultimately bringing the APC to power. Tinubu himself benefitted from that revolt. For him to now allow—or lead—a similar alienation of a key northern figure would be politically disastrous.

What is unfolding now mirrors the political climate of 1983, when President Shehu Shagari removed his vice president, Alex Ekwueme, under pressure from internal party factions. That decision split the party, weakened Shagari’s legitimacy, and accelerated the military coup that followed. The cost of betraying one’s political base in a fragile democracy like Nigeria’s is always steep. APC leaders, especially those urging a replacement, would do well to revisit that history.

Perhaps the most unsettling part of this entire episode is President Tinubu’s silence. Unlike his predecessors, who openly reaffirmed their vice presidents ahead of their second-term bids, Tinubu has allowed ambiguity to take root. The clarification by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, that the president will only choose his running mate after accepting the party nomination is technically correct—but politically tone-deaf. The impression it leaves is that Shettima’s position is hanging by a thread. That kind of uncertainty does not build party confidence; it fractures it.

In truth, the campaign to replace Shettima is less about religion or regional balance and more about ambition—by those who believe they deserve the VP slot, and by those who think they can engineer a political realignment in their favour. But these short-term calculations ignore the long-term damage they could cause. The North-East has already shown signs of agitation, and the idea of switching loyalty to the PDP or other parties is no longer hypothetical. If APC loses that bloc, no amount of last-minute reconciliation will save it in 2027.

President Tinubu still has time to shut this rumour down and make it clear that the 2023 ticket remains the 2027 ticket. Anything less will continue to create chaos within the party and hand the opposition a ready-made campaign message. Nigerians are watching.

The North-East is watching. The APC base is watching.

Musa Shehu wrote in from Kano State, Nigeria.