2027 election: APC confirms Tinubu, Shettima joint ticket as INEC nomination deadline closes

2027 election: APC confirms Tinubu, Shettima joint ticket as INEC nomination deadline closes

President Bola Tinubu will contest the 2027 presidential election with Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate after the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the submission of their nomination documents ahead of the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The development puts an end to months of intense speculation over the political future of Shettima, whose place on the APC ticket had been the subject of sustained public debate following reports that some influential figures within the ruling party wanted a different vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The confirmation came less than 24 hours before the close of INEC’s window for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates, as APC leaders received the completed nomination forms of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima during a ceremony in Abuja attended by governors, federal lawmakers and senior party officials.

The nomination documents were presented on behalf of the Presidency by the President’s Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari, who submitted the forms to the APC National Working Committee.

Receiving the documents, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, said the party was fully united behind President Tinubu’s re-election bid, describing the submission of the nomination forms as another important milestone in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general election.

According to him, millions of APC members had overwhelmingly endorsed President Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary, expressing confidence that the ruling party would secure another electoral victory in 2027.

Yilwatda also urged APC governors, elected officials and party leaders to intensify public engagement by highlighting what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration across key sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, security, education, healthcare, economic reforms and social investment.

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The event attracted several APC governors, including Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo State, alongside Governors of Borno, Kano, Kebbi, Adamawa, Kaduna and Yobe states, deputy governors, members of the National Assembly and other senior party stakeholders.

The confirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket follows months of political uncertainty fuelled by repeated endorsements of President Tinubu that omitted any reference to the Vice President, prompting speculation that the APC could replace Shettima before the 2027 election.

Political observers had linked the speculation to efforts by some party stakeholders to broaden the APC’s electoral appeal, while others argued that retaining the existing ticket would demonstrate continuity and internal stability within the ruling party.

However, senior Presidency and APC sources disclosed that Shettima had already completed the necessary nomination documentation required by the party, effectively confirming his status as the APC’s vice-presidential candidate for the election.

Under Nigeria’s electoral laws, a duly nominated vice-presidential candidate can only be substituted under conditions provided by the Electoral Act 2026, including voluntary withdrawal or other circumstances recognised by law.

The latest development is expected to strengthen confidence among APC supporters after months of uncertainty surrounding the composition of the party’s presidential ticket.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continued to remind political parties to comply strictly with the timetable for submitting candidates through its electronic Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).

According to the commission, all political parties are required to upload the names and particulars of candidates who emerged from valid party primaries within the period stipulated by the Electoral Act 2026.

Section 29 of the Act provides that political parties must submit the names of their candidates not later than 120 days before the date fixed for a general election, while every nominated candidate must also submit an affidavit confirming that constitutional requirements for the office sought have been satisfied.

INEC’s timetable fixed June 27 to July 11, 2026, as the period for political parties to electronically submit the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates.

The commission is expected to publish the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 25, 2026, while the deadline for the withdrawal or substitution of candidates is August 29, 2026, in line with the Electoral Act.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC had yet to publicly announce the complete list of successfully uploaded presidential nominations, although party officials expressed confidence that all statutory requirements would be met before the deadline expired.

The confirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket signals the beginning of another major phase in Nigeria’s political calendar as parties prepare for campaigns ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

With the APC settling its presidential ticket, attention is expected to shift to opposition parties, many of which are still finalising their own nominations and campaign strategies before the election season gathers momentum.

2027 election: APC confirms Tinubu, Shettima joint ticket as INEC nomination deadline closes