According to a report by The Sun on July 25, 2025, Abduljabbar Rufai, an aspirant for the position of youth leader in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has sharply criticized the rumored plan by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on the 2027 All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
Rufai, speaking during an interview on Arise Television, warned that such a decision would be catastrophic for the ruling party, calling it a “direct invitation to collapse” in the politically significant northern region.
“You want to drop the only man holding APC in the North? Then prepare for electoral disaster,” Rufai declared in a bold and fiery statement that has since gone viral on social media.
He emphasized that the northeast, particularly Borno State—Shettima’s home base—was crucial in securing Tinubu’s narrow win in 2023. “Let’s be honest. APC only won one state in the northeast—Borno. Why? Because Shettima was on the ticket. Remove him, and you’re handing that region to us,” Rufai said.
Rufai accused Tinubu’s inner circle of ignoring the political reality on the ground in favor of internal party maneuvering.
He warned that any attempt to tamper with the current power-sharing structure between the South and the North would be seen as betrayal, especially by voters who already feel sidelined.
“Shettima is not just a vice president—he’s a political bridge to the northeast,” Rufai said. “Breaking that bridge just two years before an election? That’s not strategy. That’s sabotage.”
Rufai’s warning reflects a broader anxiety within both major parties as early maneuvering for the 2027 elections begins. While there has been no official confirmation from the presidency about replacing Shettima, the speculation alone has stirred concern among northern APC loyalists.
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