Vice President Kashim Shettima has identified internal divisions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) as his biggest concern ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Shettima, he is less worried about opposition figures, including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
Shettima made the remarks on Saturday in Abuja while inaugurating the campaign headquarters of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a northern political coalition mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu and his re-election bid.
The Vice President said the ruling party’s ability to remain united would be crucial to its performance at the polls, warning that disagreements among its members could undermine its electoral ambitions if left unresolved.
“Honestly, I am not afraid of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I am not afraid of a diminished Peter Obi. But I am more afraid of internal contradictions within our household. If we unite as a people, as a family, we will conquer,” he said.
His comments come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with Tinubu seeking another term.
Shettima urged APC members in northern Nigeria to avoid situations where their support for the President’s re-election campaign conflicts with their commitment to the party’s candidates in state and legislative elections.
He cautioned that political leaders should not focus exclusively on securing victory for the presidential ticket while weakening the electoral chances of APC governors in their respective states.
“There is no point in championing the cause of the presidential election and then undermining the governor in the gubernatorial election. Honestly, it will not go down well with the system,” the Vice President said.
He called on party members to support the President, governors and members of the National Assembly, arguing that coordinated efforts across the party’s political structure would be necessary for electoral success.
“Let’s rally round our governors. Let’s rally round our members of the National Assembly. Let’s rally round President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and see to the victory in the next round of elections,” he added.
Shettima also expressed confidence in the APC’s standing in the North, claiming that the region had already demonstrated its support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
“By now, I believe the North has spoken. We have spoken with a resounding voice and unmistakable conviction. From Adamawa to Zamfara, from Borno to Niger, we have spoken,” he said.
The Vice President urged party supporters to intensify their preparations, noting that Nigerians would soon have another opportunity to decide who should lead the country.
“In less than 100 days, Nigerians will return to the polls. Democracy requires us to seek their confidence again, with humility about the work outstanding and conviction about the cause we have chosen,” Shettima said.
He also addressed the contest involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, urging APC supporters to challenge the opposition figure through political engagement while maintaining respect for him.
“Go and perform. Go and defeat Baba Atiku. Defeat him respectfully,” he told the gathering.
Beyond calls for unity, Shettima highlighted the APC’s organisational structure, claiming that the party had enough officials to cover polling units across the country.
“There are 176,845 polling units across the country. The APC, from ward to local government levels, has 361,045 officials. What it means is that we can match every polling unit two to two,” he said.
He stressed that holding a political appointment should come with the responsibility of demonstrating electoral strength in one’s community.
“Politics is still local,” Shettima said.
He disclosed that he had asked the Borno State governor to compile a list of political appointees from the state, including those serving at the local government level, so their contributions could be assessed.
“Let him account for his performance at his polling unit, at his ward unit and in his local government,” he said.
The Vice President also cited the APC’s political presence across northern Nigeria, stating that 18 of the region’s 19 states were controlled by the ruling party.
“Out of 19 states in the North, 18 are in the APC,” he said.
He further claimed that 15 of the 18 members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) from Kano State had defected to the APC, adding that the state’s governor was also aligned with the ruling party.
However, Shettima acknowledged that the administration still had work to do to address the economic difficulties facing many Nigerians.
He said the struggles of households trying to meet their basic needs should remind political leaders that public support cannot be sustained through praise alone.
“Every household struggling to make ends meet reminds us how much remains to be done,” he said.
“We lose our hearing when applause becomes our only source of information,” the Vice President added, urging those in government to remain attentive to the concerns of citizens.
Defending the Tinubu administration’s economic record, Shettima argued that the President inherited a fragile economy when he took office in May 2023.
“When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership in this country, what we had in our foreign reserves was a country with 3.9 billion dollars, barely enough to import oil for one month. And our Ways and Means expenditure was over N27 trillion,” he said.
“Nigeria was on the road to Caracas. The economy was teetering on the brink of collapse. He literally saved the nation,” Shettima added.
He also claimed that Nigeria’s foreign reserves had risen to approximately $58.9 billion, describing the figure as a significant improvement compared with the situation he said the administration inherited.
“For the first time in nearly 18 years, our foreign reserves are in the neighbourhood of 58.9 billion dollars,” he said.
Shettima assured northern Nigerians that a second Tinubu administration would continue to consider the region’s interests, urging them to maintain their support for the President.
“For the North, we have absolutely nothing to fear in a Tinubu second term. He has the North at heart,” he said.
The APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, also used the event to call for Tinubu’s re-election, moving a motion seeking the renewal of the President’s mandate and asking those present to affirm their support.
“Today is a time for us to renew a mandate that was largely supported by the North, and the North again will largely support the return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term,” Yilwatda said.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Arewa for Asiwaju and former Jigawa State governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, announced that the coalition’s campaign headquarters was located at No. 4 Port Harcourt Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
Badaru described the building as “the biggest campaign office anywhere in the country”, saying it represented the coalition’s commitment to organising support for Tinubu’s re-election.
“Let it be understood that this building is more than just a campaign office. It is a message. It says that Arewa is serious,” he said.
He added that the coalition planned to conduct “a campaign that is disciplined, peaceful and issue-based”, reaching voters in markets, farms, campuses, mosques and churches.
