2027: Battle For VP Slot Heats Up As Tinubu Keeps Cards Close

Intense political manoeuvring has already taken centre stage, with multiple contenders lobbying to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima, despite assurances from the Presidency that President Bola Tinubu will decide on his 2027 running mate after the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention.

Naijaonpoint reports that the development follows a chaotic APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting held less than two weeks ago, where Shettima’s supporters reportedly threw chairs at the APC Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, for failing to endorse the VP during his speech.

Reacting to the incident, Salihu explained that his refusal to endorse Shettima was deliberate, as doing so would have prematurely implied Tinubu had already picked a running mate.

“It would have been inappropriate to endorse the Vice President along with the President because it would pre-assume that he is the running mate,” Salihu clarified during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

There have been reports that political permutations are underway within the ruling party, which could see Shettima dropped from the ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

According to Punch, no fewer than four northern governors, two from the North-East and two from the North-West, as well as two top National Assembly officials, are allegedly eyeing the VP position.

There are also whispers of the President considering a former Speaker from Bauchi State, a Christian from the North-East, in a strategic religious balancing move. However, several APC insiders argue that such a choice may alienate the party’s strongholds in the North-West and North-East.

“The feeling is that picking a Christian as running mate from North Central may affect the party’s votes in the North-West and North-East, where they may vote massively for the opposition,” a senior party source told Punch.

In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu secured 2,652,235 votes (41%) in the North-West, 933,176 votes in the North-East, losing the zone to Atiku Abubakar, who polled 1,741,846 and 1,760,993 votes in the North Central, winning four states in the region.

While Tinubu is seen as enjoying reasonable support in the North Central, analysts and insiders believe that retaining the Muslim-Muslim ticket may once again prove strategic in consolidating Northern votes.

According to high-level sources, the fierce struggle over who becomes Tinubu’s running mate in 2027 is ultimately tied to who succeeds him in 2031.

“What the media does not know is that the battle about who becomes Tinubu’s running mate during the APC convention is the battle of who will succeed him,” a top party chieftain told Punch.

Another senior APC figure explained that northern APC heavyweights within the current government are lobbying for the slot because they see the Vice Presidency as a launchpad for the 2031 presidential race.

“They know that the APC is returning power to the North in 2031. So they feel that if Shettima is allowed to do a second term with Tinubu, he will have an edge over other candidates from the North,” the source said.

Punch also gathered that a top member of Tinubu’s cabinet from the North-East is being seriously considered for the VP slot.

Some APC chieftains believe the individual is being groomed to succeed the President, and replacing Shettima with him in 2027 would boost his political visibility.

However, allowing Shettima to remain VP may solidify his influence, especially with growing speculation over his strong relationship with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the cordial bond between their spouses.

Another source said, “That relationship is seen as a political asset. If Shettima stays on as VP, it could increase his chances in 2031.”

Although the APC convention is still months away, the race for Tinubu’s running mate has intensified. Governors, National Assembly members, and APC powerbrokers are being courted with promises and alliances.

From Shettima’s loyalists to rival camps within the North, consultations and high-stakes offers are in full swing as each faction seeks to secure Tinubu’s favour and gain an upper hand in the unfolding 2027-2031 political equation.