By Amah
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially confirmed that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will fly the party’s presidential ticket in the 2027 general election, bringing an end to months of political speculation over the fate of the vice president.
The confirmation came on Friday in Abuja as the ruling party formally received the completed nomination forms of both candidates ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The development effectively settles widespread rumours that the party might opt for a different running mate, following weeks of intense political discussions surrounding the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket that secured victory for the APC in the 2023 election.
The nomination forms were presented to the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, by the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, during a ceremony attended by governors elected on the party’s platform, members of the National Assembly, ministers, members of the National Working Committee, state chairmen and governorship candidates.
The submission complies with INEC’s timetable, which requires political parties to upload the particulars of their presidential and legislative candidates before the statutory deadline stipulated under the Electoral Act, 2026.
Speaking during the presentation, APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, described the exercise as a significant milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 general election.
He noted that Tinubu had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate through a duly conducted primary election and urged party faithful to remain united and committed as the campaign season gathers momentum.
Argungu said the submission of the nomination forms demonstrated the APC’s readiness to contest the election on the strength of its internal democratic process and the record of the current administration.
Representing governors elected on the APC platform, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma reaffirmed their collective support for President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, describing the nomination process as transparent and credible.
He commended the party leadership for successfully conducting its presidential primary and expressed confidence that the APC would retain power in the next general election.
Uzodimma urged party members nationwide to work together in support of all APC candidates, insisting that unity would remain the party’s greatest asset ahead of the polls.
Receiving the nomination forms, APC National Chairman Professor Yilwatda said the party was confident Nigerians would renew Tinubu’s mandate based on what he described as the administration’s achievements in key sectors.
He pointed to programmes, such as the student loan initiative, ongoing infrastructure development and agricultural reforms as evidence that the government had delivered on major campaign promises.
According to him, the APC would campaign vigorously across the six geopolitical zones, expressing optimism that governors would compete positively by delivering overwhelming votes for the party in their respective states.
Yilwatda maintained that the administration’s performance would form the centrepiece of the APC’s campaign strategy, adding that Nigerians would ultimately judge the government by its accomplishments.
Also confirming the development, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka told journalists that President Tinubu remained the party’s presidential candidate, while Vice President Kashim Shettima had been retained as the vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The announcement officially puts to rest prolonged speculation over whether the ruling party would alter its presidential ticket before the election.
The Tinubu-Shettima ticket first made history during the 2023 election when the APC nominated two Muslim candidates, a decision that generated widespread national debate over religious balancing in Nigeria’s politics. Despite the controversy, the pair went on to win the presidential election and have since governed under that mandate.
With the formal submission of the duo’s nomination forms to the party and preparations underway for transmission to INEC, the APC has now signalled its intention to seek a second four-year term with the same presidential team, as it heads into what is expected to be another fiercely contested general election.
