Tinubu Shettima 2027 ticket confirmed as the APC submits nomination forms to INEC, ending speculation over the vice president’s candidacy

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally confirmed Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending months of speculation over his place on the ruling party’s ticket.

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The confirmation came on Friday as the APC received the completed nomination forms of President Tinubu and Shettima for onward submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the statutory deadline for the upload of presidential and National Assembly candidates.

The nomination forms were presented to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in Abuja by the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, during a ceremony attended by members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly, the Federal Executive Council, the APC National Working Committee, state party chairmen and some governorship candidates.

The submission was made ahead of INEC’s 6:00 p.m. Saturday deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through the commission’s online nomination portal in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.

Addressing party leaders, APC National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Argungu described the event as the formal presentation of the duly completed nomination forms of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Argungu recalled that Tinubu had earlier emerged as the APC’s presidential candidate through the party’s primary election and urged members to remain united as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.

Speaking on behalf of APC governors, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma reaffirmed the governors’ support for the President and the party’s leadership.

“We are delighted that this event is coming after a well-organised and thoroughly supervised primary process. We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting President Tinubu and the party,” Uzodimma said.

He urged party members to rally behind all APC candidates, expressing confidence that the party would retain power in the next general election.

Receiving the nomination forms, Yilwatda said the event reflected the confidence of party members in the administration and its leadership.

The APC chairman highlighted the Federal Government’s student loan programme, ongoing infrastructure projects and agricultural interventions among the achievements the party would present to voters during the campaign.

“We will all come out and mobilise across the six geopolitical zones. I am sure there will be healthy competition among the governors,” Yilwatda said.

“One geopolitical zone has already told me they will deliver the highest number of votes for Mr President.

I will be happy to see such competition among the governors as they mobilise their states so that we can see which state will return the highest number of votes for Mr President.”

He added that the APC would campaign on the administration’s record, expressing confidence that Nigerians would reward President Tinubu with another mandate.

Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka confirmed that the party had retained both Tinubu and Shettima as its standard-bearers for the presidential election.

“The presidential candidate of the party is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and our vice-presidential candidate is the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima,” Morka said.

The confirmation of the Tinubu Shettima 2027 ticket brings an end to months of public speculation over whether the APC would retain its current presidential pairing for the next election.

Under Nigeria’s Electoral Act, political parties are required to submit the names of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates to INEC within the timelines stipulated in the electoral timetable.

With the submission of the nomination forms, the APC has completed a key procedural step in its preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

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The development also sets the stage for an intensified campaign season as political parties conclude candidate nominations and position themselves for what is expected to be a closely contested national election.