2027: Northeast Leaders Thank Tinubu for Retaining Shettima on APC Ticket

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday received a delegation of political leaders and senior government officials from the Northeast at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, in what was understood to be an appreciation visit following his decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The delegation was led by Borno State Governor and Chairman of the Northeast Governors' Forum, Prof. Babagana Zulum.

Although the Presidency did not publicly disclose the specific agenda of the meeting, officials familiar with the visit said the delegation was at the State House to express appreciation to President Tinubu for retaining Shettima as the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The visit comes amid preparations by the ruling APC for the 2027 general election and follows the formal confirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for another election cycle.

Those who accompanied Zulum to the meeting included former Borno State Governor and APC stalwart, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Special Adviser to the President on General Duties in the Office of the Vice President, Aliyu Moddibo Umar.

Also present were the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President in the Office of the Vice President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

The meeting took place exactly one week after President Tinubu formally presented Shettima with his APC vice-presidential candidacy certificate at the Presidential Villa, effectively reaffirming the ruling party's presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 polls.

Shettima's retention as Tinubu's running mate had been widely anticipated within the APC, particularly given the political significance of maintaining the same presidential ticket that secured victory for the party in the 2023 presidential election.

The development also carries particular significance for the Northeast geopolitical zone, which Shettima represented before becoming Vice President.

During an earlier visit to President Tinubu, Governor Zulum had told journalists that governors from the Northeast planned to lead a wider regional delegation to the President to formally appreciate him for retaining Shettima on the APC ticket.

"By next week we shall be preparing to come and see him," Zulum had said after seeking the President's consent for the proposed visit.

The Thursday meeting therefore fulfilled that earlier indication, bringing together prominent political figures from the region and senior members of the Federal Government.

Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno State, became Nigeria's Vice President after the Tinubu-Shettima ticket won the 2023 presidential election. His continued presence on the ticket means the APC will head into the 2027 election with the same presidential and vice-presidential pairing that contested the 2023 poll.

The Northeast, comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, remains an important political bloc in Nigeria's electoral calculations.

The region was particularly significant to the APC's 2023 presidential campaign, with the Tinubu-Shettima ticket securing victory in all six states.

The decision to retain Shettima is therefore seen within the ruling party as an effort to preserve the political balance of the ticket while maintaining the support of the Northeast ahead of the 2027 contest.

Thursday's meeting also provided an opportunity for political leaders from the region to reaffirm their relationship with the President as the APC prepares for another nationwide electoral battle.

While no major policy decisions or political resolutions were publicly announced after the meeting, the composition of the delegation underscored the political importance attached to Shettima's continued presence on the APC ticket.

The visit comes as political parties and emerging coalitions intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with the APC seeking to consolidate its position at the federal level and retain the presidency for another term.