Stakeholders under the aegis of the North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, the Forum’s chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, made the call in response to growing agitation by some North Central politicians, particularly from the North Central Renaissance Movement (NCRM), who are pushing for the region to produce the next president.
Daily Trust reports that the NCRM is advocating a national consensus across party lines to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the North Central. Its leader, Prof K’tso Nghargbu, recently told a press conference in Abuja that if the APC insists on giving President Tinubu the right of first refusal, then the vice presidential slot should go to the North Central.
But Zazzaga, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, rejected the call, urging party stakeholders to rally behind the current leadership.
“The North Central APC Forum rejects calls for President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2027,” he said.
“These calls are not from stakeholders within the APC in the North Central zone. We disassociate ourselves from such suggestions and emphasise that our endorsement of President Tinubu for the 2027 election includes Vice President Shettima.”
He added that any attempt to disrupt the current ticket would be counterproductive.
“We urge Mr President to disregard the antics of individuals and groups attempting to derail his administration, which has made significant strides in repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth and development,” Zazzaga said.
“As we did in 2023, the North Central APC Forum assures President Tinubu and his supporters of our unwavering commitment to work for his re-election in 2027.”
