As whispers of a potential shake-up in Nigeria’s presidential ticket for 2027 grow louder, a powerful Northern voice has stepped forward with a stern warning. Sheik Sani Yahaya Jingir, a respected Islamic scholar and National Chairman of the Ulam’u Council of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), has declared that his continued support for President Bola Tinubu is tied squarely to one condition — that Vice President Kashim Shettima remains on the ticket.
Speaking during a public religious gathering at the Yantaya Mosque in Jos, Plateau State, Sheik Jingir did not mince words. His message was clear, impassioned, and firm: “If Tinubu drops Shettima, I won’t support him in 2027.”
“I supported the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2023 without taking anything from them. But if President Tinubu decides to remove Shettima, I will not stand behind that decision,” Jingir stated emphatically.
The cleric further alleged that some individuals — both inside and outside the APC — are intentionally stirring division between Tinubu and Shettima. Their goal? To destabilize the current balance of power and install their preferred candidates under the guise of political progress.
“Unpatriotic people are behind this. They want to destroy the relationship between Tinubu and Shettima for selfish reasons. That is not good for Nigeria,” he added, urging the President to see through their motives.
Despite his personal relationship with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Jingir explained that his support in 2023 went to Tinubu and Shettima because of their promise of partnership and national development.
This revelation comes at a time when speculation is rife within APC corridors about a possible reshuffling of the vice-presidential ticket. Although the presidency has downplayed these claims, cracks are already visible.
One such flashpoint emerged during a recent APC stakeholders’ meeting in the North-East, where APC Vice Chairman Mustapha Salihu reportedly refused to endorse Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate for 2027 — a moment that sparked chaos and drew national attention.
Political analysts say the drama surrounding the VP slot for 2027 is not really about loyalty or competence — but about succession. With many already eyeing 2031, some power blocs are allegedly working to strategically reposition themselves by influencing who stands beside Tinubu in 2027.
But to Sheik Jingir and his followers, the calls to replace Shettima reek of betrayal and political manipulation.
“Those pushing for Shettima’s removal are not interested in the unity or progress of this country,” he warned. “President Tinubu must not allow himself to be misled by these enemies of progress.”
As the 2027 race gradually builds steam, this bold declaration from the Jos-based cleric could signal deeper cracks within the APC — and a brewing North-South trust battle. For Tinubu, who rode into power on a carefully calculated Muslim-Muslim ticket, the stakes just got higher.
For now, the message is simple: Keep Shettima — or lose key Northern support.
