- It’s the prerogative of the president to choose whoever he wants as his running mate. If Tinubu feels Shettima no longer serves his political and electoral interest, then he reserves the right to drop him and go for someone who will help him achieve his goal of re-election
For months on end, there have been reports of a rift between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has repeatedly debunked this report. The rift, according to sources who are familiar with the situation, is not unconnected to the freezing out of Shettima from the day-to-day running of the country and the decision-making process of the present administration. The exclusion is also said to have been necessitated by Tinubu’s plan to ditch Shettima for his second term and shop for a new running mate who he feels has the political heft and clout needed to win a re-election.
While the rumour of a rift between them swirls dangerously, Tinubu and Shettima have maintained some level of cordiality and chumminess whenever they appear together in public to dispel the insinuations that all is not well in the presidency. But beneath this forced appearance of camaraderie, mutual respect and cooperation lies an unsettling power struggle, pent-up animosity and resentment. Events over the weekend gave an inkling as to the kind of relationship between Tinubu and Shettima and also confirmed what many long suspected to be true: the duo are not on good terms.
During the North-East stakeholders meeting in Gombe on Sunday, National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed Tinubu for a second term in office without Shettima. His action did not go down well with the party members and North-East delegates present, and there was a mild protestation in the hope that the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, would correct the oversight. But when it was Ganduje’s turn to endorse Tinubu, he also did so without endorsing Shettima. His action rankled already miffed delegates, causing chaos and pandemonium to erupt and bringing the stakeholder’s meeting to an abrupt end.
Salihu and Ganduje were escorted out of the venue under heavy security as delegates as the delegate became restless, confrontational and combative. The governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, who was at the event asked APC to forget about the vote of the North East if Shettima is dropped as Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election. The development creates a disconcerting conundrum for the APC. There is little or nothing Shettima can do if Tinubu decides to drop him as his vice for the 2027 presidential election, but such a move could prove costly for the president and undermine APC’s chances at the polls.
It’s the prerogative of the president to choose whoever he wants as his running mate. If Tinubu feels Shettima no longer serves his political and electoral interest, then he reserves the right to drop him and go for someone who will help him achieve his goal of re-election. If he is eventually ditched as unfolding events suggest, he may be a class act, take the decision in its stride, leak his wound and support the party and Tinubu’s second term bid, or he may decide to fly off the handle, withdraw from the party, plot his revenge and sabotage Tinubu’s re-election.
Discussion about this post