Vice President Kashim Shettima has been renominated as President Bola Tinubu's running mate for the 2027 election, overcoming significant opposition from US lobbyists, internal party rivals, and religious controversy. His path mirrors that of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar under President Olusegun Obasanjo, who faced similar pressures.
Pressure from the US lobby and local politics
According to multiple sources, a US lobby group with ties to former President Donald Trump urged Tinubu to drop Shettima, arguing that a Muslim-Muslim ticket fuelled attacks on Christians. The group claimed that replacing Shettima would signal America's seriousness. However, it remains unclear if Trump directly pressed the issue or if Tinubu weighed it in his decision.
Domestically, some party stalwarts, including embattled former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, reportedly sought Shettima's position as compensation for supporting Tinubu's candidacy in 2023. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Shettima himself blocked these moves.
Religious controversy and the Muslim-Muslim ticket
The Tinubu-Shettima combination faced intense opposition from opposition parties and Christian groups before the 2023 election. Critics framed it as a Muslim-Muslim ticket aimed at Islamising Nigeria, despite lacking constitutional basis. Tinubu and his handlers frequently highlighted his wife Oluremi's pastoral credentials to counter claims of extremism.
After the election, the government's policies and appointments were scrutinised for religious motives, particularly regarding farmer-herder clashes in north-central states that have killed an estimated 35,000 people over two decades. Some linked Shettima to early Boko Haram activities when he was Borno State governor, alleging complicity.
Internal rivals and the Kwankwaso angle
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso reportedly sought to replace Shettima, aiming for a ministerial position or even the vice-presidential slot. Sources said Kwankwaso had multiple meetings with Tinubu, including in Paris, but Shettima's allies frustrated these talks by coaxing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to defect from the NNPP to the APC, weakening Kwankwaso's influence.
Other names floated as replacements included former Speaker Yakubu Dogara and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, both Christians. These moves may have been coordinated with the US lobby group.
Shettima's survival strategy
Shettima scaled back activities and went to great lengths to demonstrate loyalty. He told a story of how some people from Borno warned Tinubu that Zanna caps gifted by Shettima were charmed totems meant to kill him. He also survived a trap during the tax reform debate, when his protégé, Borno Governor Babagana Zulum, criticised the reforms, which was read as a proxy attack.
Despite the pressures, Shettima enjoyed support from key Tinubu allies in political and business circles. He mastered the art of being present without being noticed, a requirement for successful vice presidents.
Irony of the Muslim-Muslim ticket
In 2014, President Muhammadu Buhari rejected Tinubu as his running mate due to fears that a Muslim-Muslim ticket would doom the party. Ten years later, Tinubu not only chose a Muslim but renominated him. This suggests religion may be losing salience in Nigerian politics, or politicians are ignoring the risk.
Depending on the outcome of the 16 January 2027 presidential election, Shettima may face another test. If so, he can draw lessons from Atiku Abubakar's experience under Obasanjo.
