The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce his running mate for the 2027 presidential election only after the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its convention in 2026.
Onanuga made the statement in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, addressing mounting speculation over Vice President Kashim Shettima’s absence from recent political endorsements for Tinubu’s presumed second-term bid.
Dismissing suggestions that the presidency’s silence equates to tacit approval of Shettima’s exclusion, Onanuga described the reports as baseless and speculative.
“When I read the report, I dismissed it as a non-issue. In a presidential system, the candidate emerges first before selecting a running mate. That’s what happened under former President Buhari — he was nominated first, then picked his deputy,” he explained.
Onanuga further reiterated that no rift exists between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, describing rumours of friction as “beer parlour gossip”.
“From what I know, they have an excellent working relationship. All this speculation is unnecessary. People even say ridiculous things like Seyi Tinubu is the vice president — absolute nonsense. Nigerians have a habit of creating drama where none exists,” he said.
Addressing concerns that Tinubu’s history of changing deputies during his tenure as Lagos State governor might repeat itself in 2027, Onanuga dismissed such claims as unfounded.
“Yes, there were issues back then. His first deputy, Kofo, left due to personal differences. Femi Pedro succeeded her but later defected to pursue his own ambition. These were specific political circumstances — not a pattern of discarding deputies,” he clarified.
On the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket that secured the APC victory in 2023, Onanuga insisted the matter has been settled in the public space, asserting that fears over religious dominance had been proven unfounded.
“Christians are living their lives freely. The president even attended the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. Many of the names speculated as potential running mates are Muslims, but it’s not an issue anymore,” he stated.
Reacting to criticisms over the surge of endorsements for President Tinubu before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally declares the 2027 campaign season open, Onanuga defended the party’s actions as a necessary response to opposition provocations.
“Those endorsements are reactions. If members of the so-called opposition coalition hadn’t started throwing political missiles at the Tinubu administration and APC, the party would’ve waited until early next year. But you can’t expect the president to sit by while opponents openly plot against him,” he noted.
Onanuga expressed gratitude for the wave of endorsements and reaffirmed the administration’s preparedness for political battles ahead, even though official campaigns are yet to commence.
“We’re thankful for the confidence people have in President Tinubu. Everyone knows the campaign period hasn’t started, but because the opposition jumped the gun, the ruling party must also stay alert,” he concluded.
