2027 Presidency: Debate hots up as North rejects Kukah for VP ticket

By: Abudu Olalekan

The race for the 2027 Presidency is heating up. Northern leaders have ruled out Bishop Kukah for the VP slot. Find out who they are considering to replace Shettima.

2027 Presidency: The inside story of the battle for Tinubu’s ticket

You might think 2027 is still far away. You would be wrong. In the world of Nigerian politics, tomorrow is already late. The engines are revving. The strategists are not sleeping. And right now, the biggest topic in the dark corners of political meetings is the 2027 Presidency. specifically, the issue of religious balance.

It is getting hot.

Remember the drama of 2023? The Muslim-Muslim ticket that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ran on? It caused quite a stir. There was noise everywhere. Christian leaders kicked against it. But eventually, the noise went down. Tinubu showed he was a man of tolerance. He pointed to his home in the South-West where religious harmony is a normal thing. We moved on. Or so we thought.

But now, the ghost of that debate has returned. And this time, it is coming with a foreign accent.

Reports are flying around that the United States, specifically the incoming administration of Donald Trump, is interested. They want to see “symbolism.” They believe Nigeria needs a Christian at the very top level to balance things out. It is not enough to say the South-West is peaceful. They want to see it on the Aso Rock ticket.

This has set the North on fire. Meetings are holding. Names are being dropped.

Why Bishop Kukah is out

naturally, when you talk about a strong Christian voice in the North, one name pops up. Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese.

He is brilliant. He is fearless. But the Northern political establishment? They have already used a red pen to cross his name out.

It is not because he is not qualified. Reportersroom gathered that stakeholders in the North have ruled out the possibility of his candidacy. They say he is “politically exposed.”

Now, don’t get it twisted. Kukah hasn’t held political office before. But his role in the National Peace Committee and his constant speaking truth to power has made him a statesman.

A source whispered to us, “Bishop Kukah may not fly.” Why? Because he is too involved. Putting him in political office might actually limit what he can do for the nation. He is bigger than a VP slot, some argue. Others just think he is too controversial for the game of politics.

Enter the Generals and Professors

So, if not Kukah, then who? The searchlight has shifted.

The Northern elders are looking for someone quieter. Someone solid. Two names have entered the chat.

First is General Christopher Musa, the Minister of Defence.

Think about it. He is a military man. Disciplined. He is serving as a minister now, so he knows the government. A source told Reportersroom, “General Musa has not been that exposed.” He was born in Sokoto. He isn’t seen as a troublemaker. He fits the profile of a stabilizer.

Then there is Professor Nentawe Yilwatda. He is the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He is a fresh face. He just arrived on the national scene, but he is gaining ground. Like Musa, he appears acceptable to the powerful caucuses in the North. They want someone who can bring balance without bringing drama.

The plot against Shettima?

Let’s be honest. This isn’t just about the Americans.

Even before Trump won his election, the North was already doing their own calculations. They have been looking at the Tinubu cabinet with a microscope.

The issue of a Tinubu/Shettima break in 2027 had been on the cards for more than a year. It is a cold world out there.

At least six names had originally emerged in the debate. They were looking for likely replacements for Shettima long before the US made any “push.”

Some leaders believe that to reduce the tension we saw in 2023, there must be a change. They want to avoid a repeat of that religious friction.

The Muslim list vs The Christian list

It is a complex game of chess.

While some are pushing for a Christian replacement to satisfy the religious balance argument, others are lining up heavyweights for a continuation of the status quo but with different faces.

Names like Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Kano governor, have been mentioned. Senator Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara is in the mix. Even Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the NNPP is being whispered about.

Then you have the technocrats and legislative big wigs. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.

But the analysts are saying something interesting. If the President decides to go the Christian route to please the international community and settle the domestic noise, he might look at someone like former Speaker Yakubu Dogara. He has the experience.

However, the team is currently X-raying everyone. Strengths. Weaknesses. Skeletons in the cupboard.

The American influence

Some people in the North are suspicious. A source told Reportersroom that America “may be seeking the symbolism of religious balance to hide its true intentions.” You know how conspiracy theories go.

But they are not waving it off. They are checking deeply. The emergence of this push from the Americans has diversified the search. It has changed the conversation.

The weekend was busy with these talks. And as we move closer to 2027, the heat will only increase. For now, Bishop Kukah is out of the picture. But for General Musa and Prof Yilwatda? The game is just beginning. Watch this space.