President Bola Tinubu has formally retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending nearly a year of speculation that the former Borno State governor could be dropped from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms to the APC National Working Committee on Friday, with Shettima listed as his vice-presidential candidate ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission's deadline for parties to submit nominations.
The decision puts an end to months of intense political debate, during which reports suggested the President was considering replacing Shettima with another northern politician to strengthen the party's chances in the 2027 election.
Neither Tinubu nor the Presidency publicly addressed the speculation before Friday's announcement.
Confirming the development, the APC said Tinubu had "formally retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate," bringing clarity to one of the biggest unanswered questions in the party ahead of the election.
Party officials described the move as a signal of continuity within the administration, which came to office in May 2023 after Tinubu and Shettima won the presidential election on a joint ticket.
Friday's development came as political parties raced to beat INEC's deadline for submitting the names of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
The APC was among the first major parties to complete the process, while opposition parties continued consultations over their own tickets.
Tinubu is seeking a second and final four-year term in office in the January 2027 general election.
By retaining Shettima, the President has chosen stability over a major reshuffle at the top of the APC ticket, setting the stage for a repeat of the ticket that secured victory for the party in the 2023 presidential e
lection.
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