Vice President Kashim Shettima has rejected the voting arrangement proposed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, through his Rainbow Coalition, insisting that supporters must vote exclusively for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Shettima made the position known on Wednesday during the APC presidential campaign rally in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, where he urged party supporters to vote for APC candidates at all levels.
The Rainbow Coalition, led by Wike, is campaigning for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu. However, the group has maintained that while it would support Tinubu for president, it would back candidates from other political parties in governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly elections.
Wike has repeatedly defended the arrangement, describing the coalition as a platform established specifically to secure Tinubu’s return to office.
Shettima, however, dismissed the possibility of such selective support, insisting that the APC wants its candidates to emerge victorious in all elective positions.
“APC from top to bottom, APC from bottom to top. We do not want a situation where they say vote for the president and not the governor, or vote for the governor and not the president, or the senator, or the House of Assembly. We want APC straight,” the vice president declared.
He also assured the people of Nasarawa State that Tinubu was committed to delivering democratic dividends through investments in infrastructure, education and the solid minerals sector.
Shettima said the president had the interests of the state at heart and was determined to support its development.
His remarks signal a disagreement between the Presidency’s position and Wike’s Rainbow Coalition over the voting strategy for the 2027 elections, particularly whether support for Tinubu should extend to APC candidates contesting other positions.
