President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, formally launching his bid for a second term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The development was confirmed on Friday following the submission of the APC presidential nomination forms by the President’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari, during a ceremony attended by senior party leaders and government officials in Abuja.
By submitting the nomination forms bearing the names of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, the APC has formally confirmed that the President will once again contest the presidency with his current deputy in the 2027 general election.
The move ends months of speculation over whether Tinubu would retain Shettima as his running mate for a second-term bid.
Masari, who represented the President at the event, said the submission officially inaugurated Tinubu’s re-election campaign within the ruling party.
The nomination exercise drew the attendance of several top APC stakeholders, including Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who also serves as Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF).
Also present were members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), the party’s caucus in the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), governors, lawmakers and other senior party officials.
The gathering reflected growing party support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition ahead of the 2027 elections
The announcement also recalls the events leading to the 2023 presidential election.
In June 2022, Tinubu initially nominated Ibrahim Masari as a temporary or “placeholder” running mate to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for submitting candidates.
Masari later stepped aside after Tinubu formally selected Kashim Shettima, the former Governor of Borno State, as his substantive vice-presidential candidate.
The Tinubu-Shettima ticket went on to win the 2023 presidential election and was sworn into office on May 29, 2023.
The submission of the nomination forms represents the formal commencement of President Tinubu’s campaign for another four-year term.
With Shettima remaining on the ticket, the APC is projecting continuity in leadership as it prepares for what is expected to be a fiercely contested presidential election.
Political analysts say retaining the existing ticket signals the President’s confidence in his partnership with Shettima and reflects the ruling party’s strategy of maintaining stability within its leadership ahead of the polls.
Following the formal submission of the nomination forms, attention is expected to shift toward party primaries, campaign activities and the emerging strategies of opposition parties as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.
The Tinubu-Shettima ticket will seek a renewed mandate from Nigerian voters, with the APC expected to campaign on the administration’s record in economic reforms, infrastructure development, security and governance over its first term in office.
