Former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has issued a stark warning to the President against any plans to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima, emphasizing that such a move could jeopardize his chances in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on AIT Focus Nigeria on Monday, Baba-Ahmed cautioned that Tinubu would face significant political challenges if he decided to abandon Shettima, who represents Northern interests in the current administration.
Northern Representation in Government
"Kashim Shettima's problem is that he represents the North in this government whether we like it or not," Baba-Ahmed stated. "The President is Nigeria's President and is from the Southern part of the country, the Vice President is the VP of Nigeria from the Northern part of the country."
He emphasized that Shettima holds a crucial position as "the most senior Northerner in this government," suggesting that any decision to replace him would have far-reaching implications beyond mere administrative reshuffling.
The Muslim-Muslim Ticket Factor
Baba-Ahmed highlighted that Tinubu's presidency was built on the strength of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, which played a significant role in securing his electoral victory. "If he wants to drop him because he believes that the North represents a real problem and he has to tinker with faith in geography, then he has a problem," he warned.
"You now jettison the Muslim-Muslim ticket first, that is a big problem for him because that's what gave him power in the first place," the former adviser added.
Political Calculations for 2027
According to Baba-Ahmed, any attempt by Tinubu to pivot away from Northern Muslims toward Northern Christians would be a "terrible miscalculation." He questioned how many Northern Christians would "feel comfortable with a President who jettisoned a Vice President with the Muslim-Muslim ticket whom he won an election?"
The former adviser warned that if Tinubu perceives that Northern Muslims have turned their backs on him and responds in kind, it would severely impact his reelection prospects. "The next thing he has to do is he needs a huge chunk of the North to come back as President," Baba-Ahmed emphasized.
This warning comes amid speculation about potential shifts in the political landscape as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
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