The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday formally confirmed Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending months of speculation over the vice president’s place on the ruling party’s ticket.
The confirmation came as the APC submitted the nomination forms of President Tinubu and Shettima ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for political parties to upload the names of their presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The nomination forms were presented to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in Abuja by the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, during a ceremony attended by members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly leadership, the Federal Executive Council, the APC National Working Committee, state party chairmen and other party stakeholders.
INEC had fixed 6 p.m. on Saturday as the deadline for political parties to submit the nomination forms of their candidates through its online portal in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
Speaking at the event, APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, described the occasion as the formal presentation of the duly completed nomination forms of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Argungu noted that Tinubu had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate through a primary election process and urged party members to remain united ahead of the 2027 general election.
Representing APC governors, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State reaffirmed the support of the Progressive Governors’ Forum for President Tinubu and the party leadership.
“We are delighted that this event is coming after a well-organised and thoroughly supervised primary process. We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting President Tinubu and the party,” Uzodimma said.
The governor called on party members nationwide to rally behind APC candidates at all levels, expressing confidence that the ruling party would retain power in the next election cycle.
He cited the administration’s student loan programme, infrastructure development projects and agricultural initiatives as some of the achievements that would strengthen the party’s campaign ahead of the polls.
“We will all come out and mobilise across the six geopolitical zones. I am sure there will be healthy competition among the governors.”
One geopolitical zone has already told me they will deliver the highest number of votes for Mr President.
I will be happy to see such competition among the governors as they mobilise their states so that we can see which state will return the highest number of votes for Mr President,” he added.
Also speaking, APC National Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda, said the party would campaign on the achievements of the Tinubu administration, expressing confidence that Nigerians would reward the President with a second term.
The clearest confirmation of Shettima’s status, however, came from APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, who told journalists after the ceremony that the ruling party had officially retained the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
“The presidential candidate of the party is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and our vice presidential candidate is the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima,” Morka stated.
The announcement effectively puts to rest months of speculation and political intrigue over the vice president’s place on the APC ticket, with some political actors having previously suggested possible changes ahead of the 2027 election.
With the submission of the nomination forms to the party and the confirmation of the ticket by its leadership, the APC has formally retained the Tinubu-Shettima partnership that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election and will now seek a renewed mandate from Nigerians in 2027.
