FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will decide on his 2027 running mate only after the All Progressives Congress (APC) formally nominates him at its convention in 2026, the presidency has said.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on Information and Strategy, explained the position in an interview published on Thursday, June 19.

Onanuga brushed aside speculation that Vice‑President Kashim Shettima has been sidelined because recent endorsements for Tinubu did not mention him.

He said the silence was routine because, in Nigeria’s presidential system, the candidate is chosen first and the running mate later.

The adviser rejected claims that Tinubu’s history of replacing deputies while governor of Lagos showed he planned to drop Shettima.

He said those changes related to specific political disputes at the time and did not set a precedent, Vanguard reported.

Onanuga insisted Tinubu and Shettima enjoyed an “excellent working relationship”, calling rumours of a split “beer parlour gossip”.

He also dismissed talk that the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, had undue influence.

Asked whether Tinubu might again choose a Muslim running mate in 2027, Onanuga said earlier fears of Islamisation had faded and many potential names being discussed were Muslims.

He defended recent pro‑Tinubu endorsements despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not yet declaring the campaign open, saying the APC was responding to opposition criticism and “showing we’re not asleep”.

Speculation over Shettima’s future intensified after a tense APC North‑East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe, where some party figures initially endorsed Tinubu but not his deputy, Daily Trust reported.

Governor Babagana Zulum later urged the party to retain the Tinubu‑Shettima ticket.

Separately, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) advised the APC not to replace the vice‑president, saying any move to do so would be “ill‑advised” and should be preceded by wide consultation.

Previously, Legit.ng reported that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has formally announced his intention to run for president in the 2027 general elections.

He will be contesting under the banner of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

During a strategic meeting with the Niger State executive committee of the SDP and his supporters in Minna on Tuesday, June 18, Al-Mustapha shared his vision for the country's future.

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Source: Legit.ng