APC Labels Reports on Shettima’s Replacement as False and Provocative

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima may be dropped as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, describing the reports as unfounded and deliberately provocative.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, addressed the issue during a television appearance, stating that there is no truth whatsoever to the claims circulating in the public space. According to him, discussions about replacing the vice president exist only as rumours with no basis in party decision-making.

Morka explained that Nigeria’s electoral laws currently prohibit political parties from engaging in campaign-related activities, stressing that the APC is focused on governance rather than speculative political calculations.

He said suggestions that the party is considering a change in the presidential ticket are not only premature but intended to create division and distract the administration from its responsibilities. According to him, such narratives are being pushed to confuse the public and generate unnecessary political tension.

Responding to questions about calls for religious or regional balancing on the 2027 ticket, Morka said the issue is irrelevant at this stage. He noted that the APC has always demonstrated inclusiveness and has the political capacity to address sensitive national considerations when the time is appropriate.

Although the party has repeatedly denied the existence of any plan to replace Shettima, speculation has continued in political circles. The issue gained traction after a North-East APC stakeholders’ meeting endorsed President Tinubu for a second term without explicitly mentioning the vice president.

Further attention was drawn to the matter later when Shettima’s image was reportedly absent from party materials at a zonal event in Maiduguri. Despite these developments, the APC leadership maintains that there is no internal dispute over the composition of the presidency.