The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed media reports suggesting plans to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the reports as “speculative, untrue and utterly baseless.”
Morka said the clarification followed recent media reports and political conjecture that mentioned the names of some senior party figures and political office holders as possible replacements for Shettima on the APC’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Although the reports did not cite official party sources, he noted that they gained traction across traditional and social media platforms, fuelling debate over the composition of the party’s future presidential ticket.
He cautioned media organisations against giving credence to rumour-mongers and what he described as mischievous sources whose sole objective is to sow discord and create confusion within the polity.
The APC stressed that, in line with existing laws and electoral guidelines, the ban on political activities remains in force, adding that the party is not engaged in any discussions concerning the 2027 elections at this time.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to supporting President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima in delivering the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and implementing reforms that are “steadily transforming the economy, building prosperity and improving the living conditions of Nigerians.”
It also urged ministers, senior government officials and party leaders to avoid actions or comments, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that could fuel unnecessary speculation.
According to the APC, all officials should instead focus on their primary responsibility of diligent service to the government and the party, while promoting the achievements of the Tinubu-led administration.
Meanwhile, a senior chieftain of the APC has described those peddling rumours about President Tinubu dropping Vice President Shettima ahead of the 2027 elections as short-sighted.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Yerima said those calling for a change in the ticket are largely the same individuals who opposed it during the 2023 elections.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that tampering with the Tinubu/Shettima ticket would be detrimental to the APC’s prospects in 2027,” he said. “It is appalling that those who doubted this ticket’s ability to deliver victory in 2023 are now working tirelessly to alter it.
“They must be stopped, or the party risks its greatest defeat yet.”
Yerima also described advocates of altering the ticket as politically naive, adding that the North-Central zone has already been adequately represented through several high-profile federal appointments.
The comments follow concerns raised by the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, over Vice President Shettima’s perceived exclusion from certain party activities.
Lawan cited the absence of Shettima’s image on banners featuring APC leaders during a recent North-East governors and stakeholders’ meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno State.
