RismadarVoice Reporters
January 23, 2026
North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has warned that any move to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 elections could be politically disastrous.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the Forum argued that dropping Shettima would likely lead to a loss of support among core northern voters, potentially reducing Tinubu’s votes and giving an advantage to opposition candidate, Peter Obi.
“What is likely is that Tinubu will lose support among core northerners, thereby reducing his votes and giving the advantage to Peter Obi. Basic political calculation shows that dropping Shettima makes no sense and is actually very dangerous,” the statement said.
The Forum also dismissed suggestions that foreign powers, including the United States and other Western countries, might pressure Nigeria to abandon the Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027.
It stressed that Nigeria is a sovereign nation, should not bow to external influence.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket gave us victory in 2023. Nigeria is an independent nation, and nobody is going to dictate to us,” the Forum added.
It further warned that outside interference could undermine democracy and trigger avoidable conflict.
The statement comes amid ongoing speculation within the APC over the viability of the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, calls by some stakeholders to replace Shettima with a Christian from the North.
The North-Central Forum, however, insisted that the region is focused on contesting the presidency in 2031 rather than seeking the vice-presidential slot in 2027.
