A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abayomi Mumuni, has warned that any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on religious grounds ahead of the 2027 general elections could jeopardise President Bola Tinubu’s reelection bid, stating that such a move would be politically unwise given the current dynamics in the North, as he spoke on Wednesday while reacting to controversies surrounding the omission of Shettima’s photograph from a banner displayed at the North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the amendment of the APC constitution, amid growing speculations about a possible plan to drop the Vice President from the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, with Mumuni arguing that discussions about replacing Shettima with a Christian vice-presidential candidate in the name of religious inclusivity are not strategically sound because, according to him, the northern region presently lacks a Christian candidate with sufficient political clout, grassroots support and nationwide appeal to deliver substantial electoral backing to complement Tinubu’s strength, warning that “Any miscalculation in this regard could jeopardise the winning ticket for the current administration,” while maintaining that the idea of dropping Shettima could ultimately undermine the APC’s chances of retaining power in 2027.
