The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that the President will select his 2027 running mate only after the All Progressives Congress national convention, dismissing speculation about Vice President Kashim Shettima’s replacement as premature.
In an interview with Daily Trust, Onanuga addressed recent controversies stemming from an APC stakeholders’ summit in Gombe where speakers endorsed Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Shettima – an omission that disrupted proceedings as delegates demanded an explanation.
“That’s what happened under Buhari; he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once,” Onanuga stated, framing the debate as a “non-issue.” “Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.”
The presidential aide vehemently denied rumors of discord between Tinubu and Shettima, calling them “beer parlour gossip.” “I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship,” he asserted, dismissing claims that Tinubu’s son Seyi wielded vice presidential influence as “absolute nonsense.”
Addressing historical parallels, Onanuga contextualized Tinubu’s past deputy governor relationships in Lagos: “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.” He rejected characterizations of a “pattern”, attributing changes to “specific political circumstances.”
The clarification comes amid heightened political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 elections, with the APC yet to commence formal nomination processes. Onanuga’s remarks seek to quell factional tensions while reaffirming constitutional succession protocols in the ruling party.
