Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser on political affairs to President Bola Tinubu, has expressed concern over the silence surrounding reports that the President may exclude Vice President Kashim Shettima from the 2027 election ticket.

MyNigeria reports that rumours have been circulating about a possible move to replace Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate. Recall that in June, during a period rife with speculation, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga downplayed the rumours, describing them as a ‘non-issue' and stating that President Tinubu would announce his running mate only after the APC's nomination process was completed.

However, during a recent appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today programme, Baba-Ahmed, who stepped down from his role in the administration about three months ago, criticised the President’s lack of public denial. He argued that if the rumours were indeed trivial, President Tinubu should have addressed them directly to dispel any uncertainty.

“I would be very curious to find out what it is that makes all these stories about dropping him (Shettima). I think, somewhere along the line, to be honest, the President should have done something a long time ago,” Baba-Ahmed said.

ASA