The North-Central APC Forum has warned President Bola Tinubu that he could lose as much as 80 percent of northern Muslim votes if he decides to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 election.
The warning came in a statement issued by the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, in Abuja on Saturday.
As the 2027 election approaches, there has been growing pressure on President Tinubu from different groups to replace Shettima.
Some argue that the Muslim-Muslim ticket, which helped him win in 2023, may not work for his second term. The Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum, led by Dominic Alancha, had previously warned that repeating the Muslim-Muslim ticket could cost the APC votes in northern states like Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.
They also suggested that the party could lose more ground in the Middle Belt if the ticket is repeated.
In response, the North-Central APC Forum defended the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying it was a strategy to win elections and not meant to marginalize Christians or followers of other religions.
They insisted that Tinubu will not lose support in the Middle Belt, noting that prominent Christian leaders from the region, including APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda and Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, hold key government positions.
The Forum said the Muslim-Muslim ticket will not harm Tinubu’s chances in the North-Central region, and predicted he could receive as much as 90 percent of the votes there. They added that Tinubu’s achievements as president would also help secure his reelection.
Advising the president to maintain the current ticket with Shettima, the Forum argued that changing the team would be a needless risk.
They also expressed skepticism about those calling for Shettima’s removal, pointing out that many of them did not support Tinubu in 2023 and are unlikely to do so in 2027, even if a Christian replaces Shettima.
The statement further accused some people close to the president of focusing too much on northern Christian communities while neglecting northern Muslim areas, which could have negative consequences in future elections.
According to the Forum, dropping Shettima could alienate northern Muslim voters, and even replacing him with another northern Muslim might not recover those votes.
The North-Central APC Forum concluded by urging President Tinubu to stick with the proven strategy from 2023, warning that changing Shettima would risk losing 80 percent of northern Muslim votes.
Maintaining the current team, they said, is the safest way to secure victory in the 2027 election.
