2027: “Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.”- Mr Bayo Onanuga
President Tinubu plans to select his vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election only after officially accepting the party’s nomination at its 2026 convention.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, revealed this during an interview with Daily Trust on Thursday.
When asked why the presidency hasn’t addressed the escalating controversy surrounding Vice President Kashim Shettima being overlooked in the series of endorsements for Tinubu, Onanuga refuted claims that this silence indicates implicit support for the vice president’s exclusion.
Onanuga also dismissed allegations suggesting that Tinubu’s history of changing deputies twice during his tenure as governor of Lagos State implies an intention to replace Shettima before the 2027 elections.
He said, “When I read the report, I dismissed it as a non-issue. In a presidential system, the candidate emerges first and then selects a running mate. That’s what happened under Buhari—he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once.
“Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.
“That’s just speculation. Yes, when he was governor, there were issues. In his first term, he and his deputy, Kofo, didn’t get along, and she had to leave. Femi Pedro replaced her. In the second term, he retained Pedro, but Pedro later defected—he wanted to be governor. That’s why he had to go. I don’t want to reopen old wounds, but that’s what happened.
“So, it’s wrong to say he has a pattern of discarding deputies. There were specific political circumstances each time. That’s what I’m explaining.
“I’m not aware of any issues between the president and the vice president. From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All the speculation is just beer parlour gossip. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president—absolute nonsense.
“In this country, deputy roles—whether deputy governor or vice president—are always surrounded by rumours. Even when there’s no conflict, people around them will concoct stories. But as far as I know, Tinubu and Shettima work together very well.
“Christians are living their lives. The president even attended the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. There’s nothing to worry about.
“Many of the names being speculated as potential running mates are Muslims. So again, this isn’t an issue.
“The endorsements are a reaction to something. If those in the so-called coalition had not started throwing missiles at the Tinubu administration and the APC, the APC would have waited until early next year to respond. But we had to show that we’re not asleep but ready to square up. You can’t expect the president to sit by while his opponents are plotting openly against him.
“We’re grateful for the confidence they have in him. Of course, we welcome the endorsements, even though the campaign period hasn’t officially begun. Everyone knows that. But because the opposition jumped the gun, the ruling party can’t just fold its arms.”
