The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed rumours of a rift between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The party dismissed as unfounded speculations that Tinubu might replace Shettima as his running mate in the 2027 elections.
This comes amid growing political activity from Tinubu’s loyalists and key party stakeholders, who have begun mobilizing support for his potential re-election, even though the President has yet to formally declare his intention for a second term.
In an interview with Daily Trust, APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, criticized the rumours, calling them “baseless” and “pure speculation.”
He emphasized that such discussions should not be taken seriously, labeling them as “beer-parlour talks.”
He further clarified, “Even if, for any reason, the president were to consider replacing the vice president, he cannot do so singlehandedly. Such a decision would require extensive consultation with critical stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, political stakeholders from Nigeria’s North Central region have renewed their demand for either the presidency or the vice-presidency in the upcoming 2027 elections.
Representatives from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kogi, and Kwara states convened in Abuja, led by Prof. Nghargbu K’tso, to make their case.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the stakeholders called on major political parties to allocate the presidential or vice-presidential tickets to the region.
They further suggested that, should the APC grant President Tinubu the “right of first refusal” for the presidency, the vice-presidency should be zoned to North Central.
Prof. Nghargbu, supported by other regional leaders, pointed out that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, North Central has yet to produce a democratically elected president or vice president.
He also highlighted that only North Central and the South East have been excluded from these top political positions in the past 26 years.
“This is about fairness. We want to be recognized not as mere political adjuncts but as full stakeholders in the ‘One North’ project,” Prof. Nghargbu stressed.
In response to these demands, Bala Ibrahim dismissed the call for zoning the presidency or vice-presidency to North Central, labeling it “unrealistic” and “dead on arrival.”
He argued that North Central should not view the presidency or vice-presidency as a right, especially given its relatively lower electoral contribution compared to other northern zones like the North West.
Ibrahim criticized previous similar demands, calling them “irrational” and politically divisive. “They have made similar demands in the past, but these are often irrational and only serve to create unnecessary political tension,” Ibrahim added.
He also emphasized that the conversation around zoning should not take place while President Tinubu is still serving his first term, stating, “The current occupant of the presidency must be given the chance to serve two terms. Conversations about zoning should only happen after that.”
