APC Ends Speculation, Retains Shettima On Tinubu’s 2027 Ticket

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially confirmed Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending months of speculation over his place on the party’s ticket.

The ruling party on Friday formally received the nomination forms of Tinubu and Shettima for onward submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of Saturday’s deadline for presidential and National Assembly candidates.

The nomination forms were presented to 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, the Federal Executive Council, the APC National Working Committee, state party chairmen and some governorship candidates.

The submission comes ahead of INEC’s 6 p.m. Saturday deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online nomination portal in line with the Electoral Act, 2026.

Speaking during the ceremony, APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, described the event as the formal presentation of the duly completed nomination forms of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Argungu noted that Tinubu had earlier emerged as the APC’s presidential candidate through the party’s primary election and urged members to remain united ahead of the 2027 general election.

Representing APC governors, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma reaffirmed their support for Tinubu and the party’s 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.

He also urged party members to rally behind all APC candidates, expressing confidence that the ruling party would retain power in the next general election.

Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka confirmed that the party had retained Tinubu and Shettima as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

“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 said.

Receiving the nomination forms, APC National Chairman Yilwatda said the occasion reflected the confidence of party members in Tinubu’s leadership.

He highlighted the student loan scheme, infrastructure projects and agricultural interventions as some of the administration’s achievements and expressed confidence that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket would secure another term in office.