*Dropping Northern Muslim From Ticket Could Hurt APC, Says Minister
*Dogara: Power-sharing, Religious Balance Must Be Guided By Justice
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as false and baseless, reports suggesting a a plot to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party said it had observed a growing media speculation on the issue, noting that the rumours recently escalated with the circulation of names of alleged Shettima’s potential replacements.
While insisting such reports were “purely speculative, untrue and utterly baseless,” APC urged media organisations to refrain from amplifying rumours and relying on what it described as “mischievous news sources of questionable provenance.”
The party reminded the public that the ban on political activities remains in force under existing laws and electoral regulations, stressing that discussions around the 2027 elections are premature.
It stated that the party’s current priority is to support Tinubu and Shettima in the implementation of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its ongoing economic reforms.
The party cautioned ministers, senior government officials and party leaders against actions or comments that could fuel unnecessary speculation, urging them to instead focus on diligent service and on promoting the achievements of the Tinubu-led administration.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has warned that the party risks undermining its chances in the election if it drops a Northern Muslim from Tinubu’s re-election ticket.
Speaking on television programme, Musawa stated that removing Shettima or replacing him with a non-Northern Muslim running mate would pose a serious political challenge for the APC, particularly in the core northern states, noting: “If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think.”
The minister said politics in northern Nigeria is deeply rooted and highly sophisticated, warning that decisions taken without proper understanding of the region could backfire.
According to her: “The core north, states like Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, understands politics at a very deep level. Politics there is a way of life.
“People wait every four years to line up and vote because that is where they feel they have influence.”
She dismissed claims that APC could easily reshuffle its presidential ticket without consequences.
While describing such assumptions as politically naive, she said: “I think if we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. People who suggest otherwise may not fully understand how politics works in the North.”
However, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, believed decisions regarding power-sharing and religious balance should be guided by justice, rather than fear or political pressure.
Dogara, a Christian from the north, insisted on another television programme that governance should prioritise inclusiveness and fairness to build a nation that works for everyone.
On the possibility of his being considered a replacement for Shettima, Dogara said: “Leave me out of this.”
He stated that discussions surrounding a rotational presidency should take into account broader religious considerations, noting: “I would have sincerely pleaded with you to leave me out of this, but let me say something.
“Whatever we are doing shouldn’t be because we are afraid of anybody breathing down our necks; it should be because it is the right thing to do.
“We are talking about running an inclusive government, bringing everybody in this country together, so that we can build a nation that works for all of us.
“So, if we are talking about rotational presidency, nothing is stopping us from having that discussion as well, because you are not just talking about northern Christians, but also about the Christian faith as a whole.
“If you have a Muslim, whether he comes from the north or the south, let it be that he is representing the Muslim community. And if you have a Christian, wherever he comes from, he represents the Christian faith. That way, you achieve religious balance.
“But honestly, if we’re going to do anything along those lines, it shouldn’t be that we are scared, but because we believe that God requires of us to do justice.
“And justice demands that we should balance things. I think that should be our concern.”
