2027: APC Internal Crisis Worries Me More Than Opposition, Shettima Says

Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed concern over internal divisions within the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that disunity within the ruling party could pose a greater threat to its re-election bid in 2027 than opposition parties.

Shettima made the remarks on Saturday in Abuja while unveiling the campaign headquarters of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a northern coalition supporting the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and the Vice President, and inaugurating its campaign structure.

“I am not afraid of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I am not afraid of a diminished Peter Obi. But I am more afraid of internal contradictions within our household. If we unite as a people, as a family, we will conquer,” he said.

The Vice President cautioned APC leaders in the North against supporting Tinubu’s presidential ambition while working against the party’s governorship candidates, describing such a strategy as counterproductive.

“There is no point in championing the cause of the presidential election and then undermining the governor in the gubernatorial election. Honestly, it will not go down well with the system,” Shettima said.

He urged party members to close ranks behind President Tinubu, APC governors and members of the National Assembly to strengthen the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the North has demonstrated its support for the Tinubu-led administration, citing what he described as a strong show of backing across states in the region.

“The North has spoken. We have spoken with a resounding voice and unmistakable conviction. From Adamawa to Zamfara, from Borno to Niger, we have spoken,” he added.

Shettima also urged APC members to approach the electorate with humility, stressing that political leaders must continually earn the confidence of Nigerians through their performance and engagement with the people.

He further charged supporters to defeat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the polls respectfully, underscoring the need for issue-based political competition.

On the party’s electoral preparedness, Shettima said the APC had structures capable of covering all 176,845 polling units across the country, with 361,045 officials operating from ward to local government levels.

Emphasising the importance of grassroots mobilisation, he said, “Politics is still local.”

The Vice President disclosed that he had directed the Borno State governor to compile a list of political appointees to assess their performance and contributions at polling unit, ward and local government levels.

He also claimed that the APC controlled 18 of the 19 states in northern Nigeria and that 15 of the 18 New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) members representing Kano State in the House of Representatives had defected to the ruling party.

Acknowledging the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, Shettima said the administration remained conscious of the hardship experienced by households struggling to meet their basic needs.

“Every household struggling to make ends meet reminds us how much remains to be done. We lose our hearing when applause becomes our only source of information,” he said.

Defending the administration’s economic record, the Vice President said the Tinubu government inherited foreign reserves of $3.9 billion and more than ₦27 trillion in Ways and Means obligations, which he described as evidence of the economic challenges facing the country when the administration assumed office.

He further claimed that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen to about $58.9 billion, describing the development as a significant improvement in the country’s external financial position.

Shettima assured northern Nigerians that they had nothing to fear from a second term for Tinubu, maintaining that the administration’s policies and economic reforms would deliver further benefits.

The Vice President’s remarks come as the ruling party prepares for the 2027 general elections, with party unity, grassroots mobilisation and the performance of the economy likely to remain central issues in the campaign.