The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has reaffirmed support for Vice President Kashim Shettima, urging President Bola Tinubu to retain him as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election.

The Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, made this known in Abuja on Saturday, stressing that the current political structure must not be altered.

Warning From Critics

The call comes against the backdrop of warnings from the Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum, whose leader Dominic Alancha recently advised against repeating the Muslim-Muslim ticket, noting it weakened APC’s performance in Plateau, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory during the 2023 election.

Alancha predicted more electoral setbacks in the North if the party repeats the strategy.

Counterargument From APC North-Central Forum

In response, Zazzaga explained that the selection of a vice president is primarily a political calculation and not a move against any religion. He stressed that Christians in the Middle Belt were already well represented with appointments such as Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as APC National Chairman and Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He stated: “The Muslim-Muslim ticket will not affect President Bola Tinubu’s chances in the Middle Belt, which is part of the North-Central, and this is because of the key positions held by Middle Belt Christians in the APC government.

“We can guarantee that Tinubu will get 90 percent of the votes from the North-Central. Tinubu’s achievements in office will guarantee his reelection and as a result, there is no need to take the needless risk of changing a winning team.”

APC’s Winning Team

Zazzaga also dismissed suggestions that replacing Shettima with a Christian candidate would win new votes, pointing out that most of the communities now agitating for change had supported Labour Party candidate Peter Obi in 2023.

He queried, “Now if Peter Obi is to come out again in 2027, as expected, what is the guarantee that they will vote for Tinubu even if he is to drop Shettima and replace him with a Christian?”

The Forum therefore maintained that Tinubu should focus on consolidating his record of governance rather than changing what worked.

Frontpagenews.ng reports that the Forum concluded with a strong appeal to the president: “Maintaining the same team will further strengthen the chances of the APC in 2027.”