The Humanitarian Times

By Abdulkareem Haruna
A university lecturer, Shehu Liberty, has described the decision of President Bola Tinubu to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election as a calculated move to prioritize competence, stability, and political wisdom.
Mr. Liberty, a professor at the University of Maiduguri, spoke on Friday at a reception in Maiduguri organized by the Tinubu/Shettima Continuity Forum to celebrate the renomination of the Vice President.
The professor, who described the ticket as a “partnership tested by the hard work of nation-building,” said the president’s decision reflects the “yearnings of the majority” of the members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate for the 2027 General Elections is a decision grounded in wisdom, experience, and foresight,” Mr. Liberty said. “APC is indeed conserving competence. APC is also conserving stability.”
‘A Master Strategist’
The academic, who heads the Department of Public Administration at the University of Maiduguri, lauded the Vice President’s performance in the last three years, highlighting his role as the “chief salesman” of the administration’s policies.
He particularly recalled Mr. Shettima’s representation of the President at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, stating that the Vice President’s conduct displayed “finesse, demeanor, and statesmanship.”

“That moment clearly told the world what we already know: Nigeria has a Vice-President who can stand on any global stage and represent us with pride and honour,” Mr. Liberty noted.
He further justified the renomination by citing the professional background of the Vice President, who is a former banker, two-term governor, and senator. He argued that the ruling party avoided the risks of political instability by sticking with a pair that had already secured the mandate of over eight million Nigerians in 2023.

Regional Expectations
While celebrating the renomination, Mr. Liberty urged the administration to leverage the political stability provided by the pair to tackle pressing regional challenges in the North-east and across Nigeria.
He listed insecurity, the high number of out-of-school children, unemployment, and poverty as critical areas requiring intensified attention under the “Renewed Hope” agenda in the years leading to the 2027 polls.
“We are hoping that the renomination will trigger commitment to solving issues of the out-of-school children; it will translate to economic empowerment for the teeming army of unemployed youth,” he said.
Commendation for Zulum
In his speech, the professor also credited Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, for their “courage” in standing by the Vice President during past political challenges within the region.
He specifically referenced a 2026 incident in Gombe during a North-east endorsement event for the president, where Governor Zulum publicly defended the Vice President against attempts to sideline him.
“Professor Zulum chose loyalty. His vehement rejection of that attempt has no doubt largely contributed to the decision to renominate Senator Shettima,” the don concluded.