Speculation Reveals:Dogara, Akume, Badaru Emerge As Top Contenders For VP As Shettima’s Fate Hangs

 According to a report by Guardian News, with the 2027 general elections inching closer, subtle political moves by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are stirring serious tension within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as whispers of a planned change to the party’s presidential ticket gather momentum. Analysts say this could be Tinubu’s calculated attempt to secure overwhelming support from the Northern region in his bid for reelection

The drama began shortly after Tinubu assumed office. In a surprising twist, Senator Abdullahi Adamu abruptly resigned as APC National Chairman in July 2023. Adamu’s exit disrupted the North South power sharing formula that once governed the party’s top positions

His replacement, former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje from the North West, sparked dissatisfaction among stakeholders from North Central who believed the position rightfully belonged to their zone.

Despite quiet protests and expectations of a power reset at the party’s anticipated mid term convention, the APC failed to address the issue.

Instead, the office of National Chairman was permanently zoned to the North West during the party's NEC meeting at the Villa further fueling resentment from North Central leaders.

As Ganduje approaches two years in office, insider talks suggest a cabinet shake up is looming.

Some political players speculate that the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, might replace Ganduje to retain the chairmanship within the North West.

Meanwhile, rumors of Vice President Kashim Shettima being dropped from the 2027 ticket have triggered fierce lobbying across Northern political blocs.

Among those being considered as replacements are Christian politicians like SGF George Akume and ex Speaker Yakubu Dogara, both of whom enjoy strong connections with Tinubu.

While Akume is from North Central and has a long standing alliance with the President, Dogara’s Christian identity and North East roots make him a candidate who could restore religious balance to the Muslim to Muslim ticket a major point of contention since 2023.

Although some top APC figures including Senators Barau Jibrin and Magatakarda Wammako have distanced themselves from VP ambitions, their loyalists believe their denials are more about political correctness than disinterest.

Also in contention are National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago both Muslim hopefuls with varying degrees of influence and loyalty to Tinubu.

Political analyst Da Jonathan Akuns insists that any decision to replace Shettima rests solely with President Tinubu, though he believes religious balance is the biggest flaw in the current setup. “Tinubu got the regional and ethnic equation right, but he failed on religious harmony,” Akuns said.

As the power game between North West and North Central intensifies, it’s becoming clear that unless religious concerns take precedence, any move to drop Shettima may be interpreted as a sign of weakness or betrayal.