President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will choose his running mate for the 2027 presidential election after the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention in 2026. This was confirmed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, during an interview with Daily Trust. Onanuga explained that the President must first officially accept the party’s nomination before announcing who will run with him.
When asked about why Vice President Kashim Shettima has not been included in the recent endorsements for Tinubu, Onanuga said there is no need for concern. He made it clear that the silence does not mean the Vice President is being pushed aside or ignored.
“When I read the report, I dismissed it as a non-issue. In a presidential system, the candidate emerges first and then selects a running mate. That’s what happened under Buhari—he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once.
Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that Tinubu’s past record as governor of Lagos State—when he changed his deputy more than once—might repeat itself in 2027.
“That’s just speculation. Yes, when he was governor, there were issues. In his first term, he and his deputy, Kofo, didn’t get along, and she had to leave. Femi Pedro replaced her. In the second term, he retained Pedro, but Pedro later defected, he wanted to be governor. That’s why he had to go. I don’t want to reopen old wounds, but that’s what happened.
So, it’s wrong to say he has a pattern of discarding deputies. There were specific political circumstances each time. That’s what I’m explaining,” he said
Onanuga further explained that there is no disagreement or problem between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima. According to him, their relationship remains intact and there is no reason to believe otherwise.
“I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president, absolute nonsense.
In this country, deputy roles, whether deputy governor or vice president, are always surrounded by rumours. Even when there’s no conflict, people around them will concoct stories. But as far as I know, Tinubu and Shettima work together very well” he said
When the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket was brought up, Onanuga said it is no longer a concern for Nigerians. He believes that the fears people had in 2023 about religious bias have faded, and it should not be a big issue in the coming election.
“Christians are living their lives. The president even attended the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. There’s nothing to worry about. Many of the names being speculated as potential running mates are Muslims. So again, this isn’t an issue,” he added.
Onanuga also responded to complaints about the growing number of endorsements for Tinubu even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hasn’t officially started the campaign season. He said the endorsements are a way to answer the growing attacks from opposition parties, not necessarily early campaigning.
“The endorsements are a reaction to something. If those in the so-called coalition had not started throwing missiles at the Tinubu administration and the APC, the APC would have waited until early next year to respond. But we had to show that we’re not asleep but ready to square up. You can’t expect the president to sit by while his opponents are plotting openly against him.
We’re grateful for the confidence they have in him. Of course, we welcome the endorsements, even though the campaign period hasn’t officially begun. Everyone knows that. But because the opposition jumped the gun, the ruling party can’t just fold its arms,” he said
