Political strategists in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are looking into new ways to improve their chances at the polls as the 2027 presidential election draws near. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may be considering choosing a Christian running mate from the North Central zone, according to Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.
In an interview with Arise TV, Dr. Amadi emphasized how changing political circumstances would force Tinubu and the APC to reevaluate their ticket. He said the ruling party should think about balancing its next ticket to garner wider public support after the uproar to the 2023 Muslim-Muslim presidential tandem.
The analyst’s comments coincide with growing conjecture on Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s relationship. At a recent APC endorsement gathering in Gombe, Shettima’s name was noticeably missing, which sparked discussion over his place on the 2027 ticket. This exclusion, according to Dr. Amadi, is a reflection of the party’s cautious political maneuvering.
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Amadi made the argument that a similar situation might occur at the federal level, citing Tinubu’s history of transferring deputies as the previous governor of Lagos State.
“What do we lose by matching a Christian from the North Central, which hasn’t produced a president or vice president since 1999, with a Muslim president from the South?” would be the question that any Tinubu strategist would ask. Amadi said.
He said that Tinubu might be able to strengthen the APC’s support in the Middle Belt, which was crucial in earlier elections, with such a move. Amadi, however, issued a warning that Shettima’s replacement might cause internal resentment, characterizing the possible impact as “collateral damage” that could make Tinubu’s reelection attempts more difficult.
He added that the political landscape is changing and that younger voters are becoming more interested in governance and accountability than in religious or ethnic identities. This could provide a challenge to conventional campaign tactics in 2027.
The complex choices the APC must make in order to strike a balance between regional interests, internal unity, and shifting voter expectations in the run-up to the next general election are highlighted by Amadi’s research.
