President Bola Tinubu on Thursday formally presented Vice President Kashim Shettima with the All Progressives Congress’ official certificate confirming his nomination as the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The presentation took place during a brief ceremony at the President’s office in the State House, Abuja, further cementing the APC’s decision to retain the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for the next presidential election.
A 45-second video released by the State House media office showed Shettima being ushered into the President’s office by the President’s Liaison Officer before Tinubu handed over the nomination certificate.
The event came only days after the ruling APC completed the submission of the nomination forms of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima to the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the electoral body’s deadline for presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The submission followed the conclusion of the party’s internal nomination process, which confirmed Tinubu as the APC’s presidential candidate and Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election.
Earlier, on July 10, the APC formally presented the nomination forms to its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at the Continental Hotel in Abuja.
The forms were submitted on behalf of President Tinubu by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, in preparation for forwarding the party’s candidates to INEC.
The nomination process was completed ahead of the July 11, 2026 deadline fixed by the electoral commission for political parties to submit the particulars of their candidates for the presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections.
Under the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E containing the personal details, affidavits and other required documents of their nominated candidates within the period approved by INEC.
The APC complied with the timetable by submitting the names of Tinubu and Shettima as its presidential ticket before the deadline.
Following the submission, the party expressed confidence that it would retain power in the 2027 general election.
APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the ruling party remained optimistic that Nigerians would renew its mandate, citing what the party described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration.
Although the formal presentation of the nomination certificate to Shettima was largely ceremonial, it marked another important step in the APC’s preparations for the next general election.
Tinubu and Shettima were first elected on the APC platform in the 2023 presidential election after defeating candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and other political parties. They were sworn into office on May 29, 2023.
Since assuming office, the administration has introduced several major economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange market and tax reform initiatives. While the government says the policies are laying the foundation for long-term economic recovery, many Nigerians have expressed concern over the rising cost of living, inflation and other economic challenges.
As the 2027 election approaches, political parties have begun taking steps to meet the timelines set by INEC under the Electoral Act 2026.
The commission has continued to remind political parties to comply strictly with the electoral timetable to ensure a smooth nomination process ahead of the polls.
According to the revised election timetable, the presidential election is expected to be held on January 16, 2027, alongside elections into the National Assembly.
In the coming months, attention is expected to shift to campaigns, party manifestos and debates over governance, the economy, security and other national issues as political parties seek to convince Nigerians ahead of the election.
For the APC, Thursday’s presentation of the nomination certificate to Shettima reinforces the party’s decision to maintain the Tinubu-Shettima partnership that secured victory in the last presidential election.
The ceremony, though brief, marked another milestone in the ruling party’s preparations for what is expected to be a keenly contested 2027 presidential race, with political parties already positioning themselves ahead of the nationwide campaign season.