Former presidential adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has warned that President Bola Tinubu’s continued silence over persistent rumours of Vice President Kashim Shettima being replaced ahead of the 2027 general elections could deepen divisions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed described the situation as “worrying,” arguing that the president’s refusal to personally and directly debunk the reports was a missed opportunity to reassure the party and Nigerians of unity in the presidency.
“I would be very curious to find out what it is that makes all these stories about dropping him. I think, somewhere along the line, to be honest, the President should have done something a long time ago,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The rumours, which have circulated across social media and political circles in recent months, claim that Vice President Shettima may not be on the joint ticket with Tinubu in 2027, potentially being replaced by a Christian southerner to appeal to a broader electoral base.
While the presidency has previously downplayed the claims, most notably through presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, who dismissed them in June as a “non-issue,” Baba-Ahmed insists that more is required.
“If all these stories about dropping the Vice President… have absolutely no iota of truth, it would have taken just one thing: the President directly and personally saying, ‘Stop this nonsense. I have confidence in my Vice President…’ But he didn’t say that. His people didn’t say that,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that failure to address the rumours directly could give room to political mischief and weaken internal cohesion within the APC.
“If what I have said is exactly what the president thinks, he should have said it. If he doesn’t say it the way I have, he should have found a way, but it should come from him – it should be direct and it must be emphatic.”
Vice President Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, was widely seen as a strategic choice for the 2023 elections, helping to secure votes in the North-East.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket, however, sparked initial controversy and remains a point of political sensitivity.
While the 2027 elections remain over two years away, early political manoeuvrings and succession debates are already shaping party dynamics.
Analysts warn that any ambiguity from the presidency regarding its internal alignment could destabilise long-term party strategy and embolden opposition narratives.
So far, neither President Tinubu nor Vice President Shettima has publicly addressed the rumoured rift or 2027 succession plans.
