The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has stated that President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election will be determined after the party’s convention, which is typically held about a year before the general election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Basiru noted that while Tinubu enjoys broad support from key party stakeholders for re-election, discussions regarding his running mate have not yet begun.
“As far as we are concerned, the national summit held in the Presidential Villa has endorsed Mr. President based on his track record, and a large spectrum of stakeholders in our party have also overwhelmingly given endorsement to Mr. President,” he said.
Basiru emphasized that the matter of the Vice President is not currently under consideration, and there has been no indication that President Tinubu has made any adverse decision regarding the current Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
This clarification comes amid controversy that followed a meeting of APC stakeholders in the North-East, held last Sunday in Gombe State. The gathering descended into chaos after the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, endorsed Tinubu for re-election but failed to mention Vice President Shettima in the declaration.
The omission sparked protests reportedly led by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who insisted that Shettima, a native of Borno, be explicitly included in the endorsement.
