The Presidency has dismissed mounting speculation about Vice President Kashim Shettima’s political future, clarifying that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not made any decision regarding his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known during an interview with Daily Trust on Thursday, addressing questions about the Vice President’s absence from recent endorsement campaigns for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Onanuga emphasized that discussions about a running mate are premature at this stage, stating that the current silence from the presidency should not be interpreted as exclusion or a snub of the Vice President.
“When I read the report, I dismissed it as a non-issue. In a presidential system, the candidate emerges first and then selects a running mate. That’s what happened under Buhari—he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once,” Onanuga explained.
He further clarified the process, saying: “Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.”
The presidential aide also rejected claims that Tinubu’s history as Lagos State governor, where he changed deputies twice, indicates a pattern that could affect Shettima’s position ahead of 2027.
“That’s just speculation. Yes, when he was governor, there were issues. In his first term, he and his deputy, Kofo, didn’t get along, and she had to leave. Femi Pedro replaced her. In the second term, he retained Pedro, but Pedro later defected—he wanted to be governor. That’s why he had to go. I don’t want to reopen old wounds, but that’s what happened,” Onanuga stated.
He stressed that each situation had specific political circumstances, adding: “So, it’s wrong to say he has a pattern of discarding deputies. There were specific political circumstances each time. That’s what I’m explaining.”
Addressing speculation about a rift between the President and Vice President, Onanuga dismissed such claims as unfounded gossip.
“I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president—absolute nonsense,” he said.
The presidential aide noted that deputy positions in Nigeria are often subject to rumors, explaining: “In this country, deputy roles—whether deputy governor or vice president—are always surrounded by rumours. Even when there’s no conflict, people around them will concoct stories. But as far as I know, Tinubu and Shettima work together very well.”
When asked about the possibility of repeating the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought Tinubu to power in 2023, Onanuga suggested the religious composition is no longer a significant concern.
“Christians are living their lives. The president even attended the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. There’s nothing to worry about. Many of the names being speculated as potential running mates are Muslims. So again, this isn’t an issue,” he added.
Regarding criticism about early endorsements for the President despite INEC not officially declaring the campaign period open, Onanuga defended the move as a necessary response to opposition activities.
“The endorsements are a reaction to something. If those in the so-called coalition had not started throwing missiles at the Tinubu administration and the APC, the APC would have waited until early next year to respond. But we had to show that we’re not asleep but ready to square up. You can’t expect the president to sit by while his opponents are plotting openly against him,” he explained.
He concluded: “We’re grateful for the confidence they have in him. Of course, we welcome the endorsements, even though the campaign period hasn’t officially begun. Everyone knows that. But because the opposition jumped the gun, the ruling party can’t just fold its arms.”
The clarification comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, with various stakeholders positioning themselves for the upcoming electoral cycle.
