A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abayomi Mumuni, has warned against any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on religious grounds ahead of the 2027 general elections

Mumuni said this on Wednesday in reaction to the controversies erupting from the omission of Vice President Shettima’s photograph from a banner displayed at the North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the amendment of the APC constitution.

According to him, the North presently lacks a Christian candidate with the political clout and followership needed to deliver substantial electoral support.

He said the idea of dropping Shettima could undermine the APC’s chances of retaining power.

There have been speculations about a possible plan to drop Shettima from the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Mumuni further said that discussions about replacing Shettima with a Christian vice-presidential candidate, ostensibly to address concerns about religious inclusivity, are not strategically sound in the current political climate.

According to him, the northern region currently lacks a Christian candidate with sufficient grassroots support and nationwide appeal to complement President Bola Tinubu’s electoral strength.

“Any miscalculation in this regard could jeopardise the winning ticket for the current administration,” he warned.