The founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, Udenta Udenta, has described recent talks about President Bola Tinubu’s potential running mate for the 2027 election as a direct humiliation of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, Udenta criticised the All Progressives Congress for how it has handled the situation.

He said the fact that APC governors and other key party figures have already endorsed Tinubu for a second term while remaining silent on Shettima’s role signals a deliberate plan within the party.

Udenta also faulted the party’s claim that the choice of a running mate would be decided after its convention.

According to him, such a decision should not be deferred or treated lightly, especially with a sitting vice president already in place.

He stated, “We should be talking more about the visible humiliation of the sitting Vice President. For the first time in our contemporary political history, we had Atiku Abubakar for four years and he was regarded highly by his boss, Obasanjo. Designation became volatile and naturally degenerated into a political dispute in the second term. We had Yaradua, who had a very good relationship with his deputy before he died, before Goodluck Jonathan became the President and Buhari. Despite some issues here and there, his VP was highly regarded and respected.

“Suddenly, we find a Vice President, two years into his tenure, was actually being told you are not part of this government because if his name was not mentioned in the endorsement of the President and the party, and the president reaffirmed that the president has no running mate for 2027. Saying after the convention, he will decide is not done. So, if you are taking one, you take the other along with you on the journey. History has expressly stated that.

“He (Shettima) is not even sure of where he stands until after the convention, when the President decides. He should be a Tinubu/Shettima joint ticket going into 2027. That is conventional. That is the accepted rule. If you don’t do that as the sitting President, then the Vice President should say, am I really part of this government?”

Speaking on the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation, he said he was not surprised.

He said, “His resignation didn’t come to me as a shock.”

On Friday, Ganduje stepped down from his position.

Saturday PUNCH reports that Ganduje resigned as APC National Chairman due to moves by former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to defect to the party.