Nigeria's ruling party has moved to lock down its leadership ahead of the next general election. According to Channels Television, the All Progressives Congress has formally announced Vice President Kashim Shettima as the running mate to President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, a decision that ends months of speculation over who would occupy the number two slot on the party's ticket.
The move represents continuity rather than change at the top. As reported by Channels Television, the party is retaining the same Tinubu-Shettima pairing that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election, and the APC expressed confidence that the combination would deliver what it described as a landslide victory at the polls in 2027.
The formal step followed the required party procedures. According to Channels Television, the submission was made on behalf of the President by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, during a brief ceremony, with the paperwork prepared for onward transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission in line with electoral requirements.
The announcement drew a wide cross-section of the party's leadership. As Channels Television noted, the ceremony was attended by members of the Progressive Governors Forum, the National Assembly, the Federal Executive Council and the party's National Working Committee, alongside state party chairmen and some of the party's governorship candidates.
Soon after the ticket was unveiled, the Vice President moved to acknowledge the decision. According to Channels Television, Shettima met President Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja in a closed-door meeting, where he expressed his appreciation for being retained as the party's presidential running mate for the 2027 general elections.
The decision closes a period of intense guessing within Nigeria's political circles. As reported by Channels Television, the confirmation comes after months of speculation about who would emerge as Tinubu's running mate, with the party ultimately opting to preserve the pairing that already holds the presidency rather than reshuffle its ticket.
Party leaders framed the choice as tied to their governance record. According to Channels Television, the APC cast its decision as a reflection of confidence in the leadership pair that won in 2023, linking it to ongoing economic reforms that the party says are aimed at meeting the needs of citizens as it prepares for the 2027 contest.