The All Progressives Congress (APC) could suffer if Vice-President Kashim Shettima is removed before the 2027 presidential election, according to Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy.
In an interview with journalist Seun Okinbaloye on the podcast MIC ON, Musawa made the comments amid rumors that the ruling party was thinking of replacing Shettima with a Christian running mate for President Bola Tinubu in 2027. She warned that the APC would face significant electoral risks if the existing ticket’s religious and regional balance is changed.
She said that the lack of a Muslim from the north on the presidential ticket would lead to opposition from local people.
“It is a problem if we experiment with altering the structure of what we now have. A barrier is created if there are no Hausa, Fulani, or Kanuri Muslims on that ticket. That’s how people actually believe,” Musawa stated.
She described politics in the region as being firmly anchored in identity and civic involvement, arguing that such discussions represented a misperception of northern political processes. According to Musawa, the north’s long-standing political awareness and involvement make it a crucial factor in Nigeria’s political calculations.
“I’m from a fairly rural part of Katsina State. Every member of my family and every person I know who has never attended school owns a radio. They will discuss the Russian Revolution with you. “BBC Hausa fulfilled its mandate,” she stated.
“The northern region truly lives on politics. They believe they have a great deal of power and influence over that one thing. Therefore, you are at your own risk if you don’t comprehend politics as they do,” Musawa continued.
She went on to say that politics is seen as a crucial means of influencing national outcomes in many northern areas. “They can’t line up till every four years. Everyone will line up for a man with four wives and thirty children because they know they can influence Nigeria’s standing there. It’s almost like an identity for them,” she remarked.
Additionally, Musawa minimized the chances of opposition parties defeating Tinubu and Shettima in 2027, seeing them as disjointed and mostly motivated by self-interest.
To be fair, I believe that every member of the opposition is a strong individual. However, she stated, “I don’t see how the opposition as it is now can unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, especially the way the opposition is emerging.”
She claimed that the opposition was overcrowded and that its top leaders were vying for the same posts. “Everyone in that opposition is fighting for the same position, and only that position.” Thus, it alone is kind of a formula for catastrophe, according to Musawa.
Citing conflicting goals and voter expectations, Musawa questioned the viability of a united ticket including Atiku and Peter Obi while acknowledging the political clout of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Naturally, Atiku Abubakar plays a role since he is a strong Nigerian and a nationalist. Someone has to be president if you combine Mr. Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar. How will that be handled, then? She said, “Will it be a combination of the 2019 ticket?”
“I don’t think Obidients will be very thrilled if that is VP Atiku with Peter Obi as running mate. If it’s the other way around, I don’t think Peter Obi can mobilize the core northern votes the way he couldn’t in the previous election,” Musawa continued.
Additionally, she rejected claims that Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, could seriously erode APC support in the North-West, stating that she did not think he was capable of “injuring” the president’s base of support in the area.
