President Bola Tinubu will announce his 2027 running mate only after the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its next national convention, according to the Presidency.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made the clarification in an interview with Daily Trust, amid growing speculation that Vice President Kashim Shettima might be dropped from the 2027 ticket.
The rumours intensified after APC stakeholders in Gombe endorsed President Tinubu for a second term but failed to mention Shettima during the endorsement — a move that sparked protests and disrupted the event.
When asked why the presidency remained silent on the issue, Onanuga said it was a “non-issue.”
“That’s what happened under Buhari; he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once,” Onanuga explained. “Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.”
Dismissing talk of a rift between Tinubu and Shettima, Onanuga described the claims as baseless.
“I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship,” he said.
“All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president. Absolute nonsense.”
The APC is expected to hold its convention after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases the official timetable for the 2027 general elections.
