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<p class="" data-start="141" data-end="404">The <a target="_blank" href="http://gistreel.com/tag/apc"><strong>All Progressives Congress</strong></a> (APC) has debunked growing speculation of a rift between <a target="_blank" href="http://gistreel.com/tag/tinubu"><strong>President Bola Ahmed Tinubu</strong></a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://gistreel.com/tag/shettima"><strong>Vice President Kashim Shettima</strong></a>, describing reports of plans to replace the vice president ahead of the 2027 elections as baseless and unfounded.</p>
<p class="" data-start="406" data-end="734">Although President Tinubu has yet to officially declare his intention to seek reelection, loyalists within the party have already begun mobilizing support for a potential second-term bid.</p>
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<p class="" data-start="406" data-end="734">Amidst this, rumours of discord between Tinubu and Shettima surfaced, suggesting the president was considering a<strong> new running mate</strong>.</p>
<p class="" data-start="736" data-end="901">Addressing the speculation, the APC’s National Director of Publicity, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim, strongly refuted the claims, labeling them as nothing more than idle talk.</p>
<p class="" data-start="903" data-end="1034"><em>“This is pure speculation without foundation. These are beer-parlour discussions that should not be taken seriously,”</em> Ibrahim said.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1036" data-end="1378">He further emphasized that any changes to the party’s ticket would involve extensive consultation with stakeholders and would not be made arbitrarily.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1036" data-end="1378"><em>“The decision to replace a vice president—if it ever arises—is far beyond individual discretion. It is a matter for broad-based consultation involving key party organs and leaders,”</em> he added.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1380" data-end="1576">Meanwhile, the discussion around power rotation in 2027 gained momentum as political stakeholders from the North Central zone renewed their call for inclusion in the presidency or vice presidency.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1578" data-end="1812">At a press conference held in Abuja, leaders from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kogi, and Kwara states—led by Professor Nghargbu K’tso—urged political parties to zone either the presidential or vice-presidential slot to the region.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1814" data-end="2002">In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the stakeholders argued that if the APC endorses Tinubu for a second term, the vice-presidential ticket should be ceded to the North Central zone.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2004" data-end="2222">Prof. K’tso lamented the historical political exclusion of the region, noting that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the North Central has never produced a democratically elected president or vice president.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2224" data-end="2569"><em>“Of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, only North Central and South East have not occupied the positions of president or vice president in the past 26 years of the Fourth Republic,”</em> he said.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2224" data-end="2569"><em>“In fact, the North Central’s case is worse than that of the <strong>South East</strong>, which at least produced Dr. Alex Ekwueme as vice president between 1979 and 1983.”</em></p>
<p class="" data-start="2571" data-end="2655">However, the APC swiftly dismissed the region’s demands as unrealistic and untimely.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2657" data-end="2886">Describing the request as “dead on arrival,” Alhaji Ibrahim argued that the North Central’s electoral contribution does not match zones such as the North West, which consistently delivers high voter turnout in national elections.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2888" data-end="3146"><em>“The North Central should not see the presidency or vice presidency as a right, especially given its relatively lower electoral contribution,”</em> he said.</p>
<p class="" data-start="2888" data-end="3146"><em> “Such conversations are premature and should be deferred until President Tinubu completes his first term.”</em></p>
<p class="" data-start="3148" data-end="3357">As Nigeria inches closer to another electoral cycle, the debates around zoning, political inclusion, and internal party dynamics are expected to intensify, setting the stage for a contentious build-up to 2027.</p>
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