The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will name his running mate for the 2027 presidential election only after he is officially nominated by the All Progressives Congress at its national convention scheduled for 2026.
This clarification was provided by Onanuga, in an interview with Daily Trust.
The president’s aide emphasized that the process will follow precedent, as seen during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“That’s what happened under Buhari – he was nominated first and later picked his running mate. You don’t do both at once,” Onanuga explained.
“Once INEC releases the timetable, the party convention will hold, and if the president is nominated again, he will choose his running mate.”
As discussions surrounding the 2027 general election intensify, there has been widespread speculation within APC circles about who Tinubu might select as his vice-presidential candidate. The Presidency’s statement is intended to halt these premature debates and redirect focus to the party’s internal processes.
With the timeline now set, attention turns to the APC’s 2026 convention, where Tinubu’s official nomination will serve as the precursor to the announcement of his running mate.
Meanwhile, tensions within the party surfaced during the APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe State over the weekend. Chief Oliver Okpala, Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has condemned what he described as an attempted assault on Ganduje during the gathering.
In a statement issued Monday, Okpala criticized the actions of those involved, calling it both irresponsible and dangerous for Nigeria’s democratic and party systems.
“There is no space for violence in Nigeria’s political space presently. Party members should resort to the civilised tenet of political decency, decorum and comportment in their political activities in the country,” Okpala stated.
