The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could significantly weaken its electoral fortunes in northern Nigeria if it alters the Tinubu–Shettima presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Musawa said removing Vice President Kashim Shettima from President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ticket, or failing to retain a northern Muslim as running mate, would pose serious political risks for the ruling party, particularly in the core northern states.
She spoke during a recent interview amid growing speculation that the APC may consider changing the Muslim–Muslim ticket that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election.
According to the minister, voting behaviour in northern Nigeria is strongly shaped by regional, religious and historical considerations, making any major alteration to the ticket potentially damaging.
“If there is no Hausa, Fulani or Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That is the reality of the way people think,” Musawa said.
She described the core northern states as politically sophisticated, noting that politics remains deeply ingrained in everyday life across the region.
“The core north states, like Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, understand politics at a very deep level. Politics there is a way of life. People wait every four years to line up and vote because that is where they feel they have influence,” she said.
Musawa dismissed suggestions that the APC could easily reshuffle its presidential ticket without electoral consequences, warning that such views underestimate northern political realities.
“I think if we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. People who suggest otherwise may not fully understand how politics works in the north,” she cautioned.
On opposition politics ahead of 2027, the minister expressed confidence that President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima remain well positioned to secure a second term. She described the opposition landscape as fragmented, with multiple political heavyweights competing for leadership.
“You have an opposition that is overcrowded. Every single member is vying for the same spot, and that alone creates a recipe for political failure,” she said.
While acknowledging the influence of opposition figures, Musawa said the APC was not underestimating any challengers.
“We are not taking anybody lightly. But as the opposition is emerging now, I do not see how they can unseat President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima,” she added.
She concluded by saying that although the APC supports a vibrant opposition as part of democratic growth, the party remains focused on consolidating its support nationwide ahead of the next election cycle.
“It is good for democracy to have opposition. Nobody wants a one-party state. But we are confident in our political direction,” Musawa said.
