Legendary journalist and former presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, has advised President Bola Tinubu to maintain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate ahead of the 2027 general election, stressing that the President should remain firm with his original decision.
Abati made the call on Tuesday, the 27th of January, 2026, while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he defended recent remarks by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, describing them as appropriate and non-inflammatory.
He explained that Musawa’s comments merely highlighted the possible political consequences of altering the vice-presidential slot, especially in the North, where ethnic and regional considerations among Kanuri and Hausa-Fulani voters could influence electoral outcomes.
According to Abati, Nigeria’s political direction must be shaped internally by Nigerians, not by references to foreign political actors, adding that President Tinubu must demonstrate resolve and consistency in his leadership choices.
Abati said: “Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Tourism creative Economy, was very courageous to have stood up to say that, look, if we change the Vice President, you change the equation because of the blackmail from the Christian community, then it will have implications, deeper consequences in the more politically literate north.
“She may have said, if you don’t have a Kanuri, you don’t have Hausa-Fulani or Hausa person in the equation for 2027, then you know the APC will have issues.
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“Well, there’s nothing she has said that is offensive, in my view. I said so yesterday. I say so again. She even said the opposition, there is no aggression towards the opposition, because we need the opposition.
“I think it’s the APC leadership that is missing the point. And Felix Morka (APC National Publicity Secretary), should be reminded that consistently there has been an attempt to, you know, downplay the Tinubu, Shettima ticket – the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“And I have called on President Tinubu, he must have the courage to stand by his choice. He stood by that choice in 2023 he should stand by it again in 2027. All this talk about Donald Trump, I repeat again, it’s not Donald Trump that will dictate to Nigeria what the political choices of Nigerians should be.”