BREAKING: Northern Muslims dump Shettima Ahead of 2027, endorse another VP candidate for Tinubu

BREAKING: Northern Muslims dump Shettima Ahead of 2027, endorse another VP candidate for Tinubu

 

 

 

A northern Muslim advocacy group, Concerned Northern Muslim Ummah, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima with a northern Christian running mate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, citing the need for religious balance and national unity.

 

The appeal, made public on Sunday through a statement signed by the group’s convener, Bala Duguri, follows what the group described as “wide-ranging consultations” with Islamic organisations across northern Nigeria.

 

Duguri said the group remains supportive of Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which they believe is delivering positive results.

 

However, he emphasized that the future of the country’s democratic stability and cohesion depends on a more inclusive political ticket.

 

“In the spirit of national unity, the Christian community made sacrifices in 2023. It is only fair that Muslim political actors reciprocate that gesture in 2027,” Duguri said, referring to the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought Tinubu and Shettima to power in the last election.

 

He argued that fairness and political equity demand a religiously balanced ticket, especially as Nigeria continues to grapple with issues of division and distrust among its diverse population.

 

“As a Muslim organisation, we are calling on all potential Muslim contenders for the VP position to voluntarily withdraw for the sake of national cohesion and equity,” Duguri added.

 

The group also appealed to key stakeholders within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—including the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the Progressive Governors Forum—to consider the recommendation.

 

The statement indicated that the group is working to build broader consensus by engaging influential religious and traditional bodies such as the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), and northern traditional institutions.

 

“This decision will not only strengthen our democracy but also improve President Tinubu’s electoral chances. With a northern Christian on the ticket, a landslide victory is certain,” the group claimed.

 

The group’s position, however, is at odds with sentiments expressed in Borno State last month. In April, APC stakeholders from the Vice President’s home state issued a communiqué after a meeting in Maiduguri, urging President Tinubu to retain Senator Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 contest.

 

“The meeting prayed for Mr. President to retain His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima as his Vice President for his second term,” the communiqué stated.