Photo File: The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Youth Parliament, North-East Zone, Kabir Garba Kobi

Amid growing political speculation, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Parliament in the North-East has issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against any move to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Bauchi, the North-East Zonal Chairman of the APC Youth Parliament, Kabiru Kobi, described the alleged plan as not only politically risky but also a threat to party unity and President Tinubu’s re-election prospects.

Kobi said, “We want to state it unequivocally clear that any attempt to reconfigure the joint ticket of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima in 2027 will only bring resentment that could linger beyond the elections, with negative reverberations capable of affecting the party’s success.”

He warned that the growing rumours of Shettima’s potential replacement have already sown seeds of discord within the party, and if left unchecked, could mirror the internal crisis that led to the fall of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

“The ghost of the PDP’s past actions still haunts the party today,” Kobi said. “History has little patience for those who choose to ignore its lessons.”

He described Tinubu and Shettima as a “tested and trusted” leadership team, cautioning party stakeholders against allowing “excessive ambition” and the influence of “fifth columnists” to derail the party’s hard-earned gains.

Kobi further alleged that the attacks on Vice President Shettima are veiled attempts to weaken President Tinubu’s political base, stating, “The calculated attacks are not truly aimed at the Vice President but at you [Tinubu]. These assailants want to replace Shettima with someone of fragile political reputation. They know he would pacify his supporters to leave everything to God, leaving you to face the backlash alone.”

He added that replacing Shettima would be perceived as unjust, warning that it could alienate supporters across the North-East and beyond.

Reaffirming the group’s loyalty, the APC Youth Parliament vowed to continue mobilising support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2027. Kobi also urged party leaders to prioritise unity and internal harmony as the elections approach.

“We must avoid internal wrangling that could implode the party. APC must learn from history and preserve its internal cohesion if it is to succeed in 2027,” he concluded.