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Political history is often written around those who eventually occupy positions of power. Yet, behind every major political victory are individuals who believed in a cause when its future was uncertain, defended a position when it became unpopular, and remained committed when others found it convenient to withdraw their support.
The political journey of His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, presents an important opportunity to reflect on leadership, loyalty, political relationships, and the value of standing by one’s convictions.
For me, Umar Dauda Duhu, my commitment to Vice President Kashim Shettima has never been merely about the office he occupies today. It is about political conviction, the recognition of leadership potential, the defence of fairness, and the belief that genuine political relationships must survive periods of uncertainty.
From his emergence as Governor of Borno State to his election as Senator representing Borno Central and, subsequently, his emergence as Vice President of Nigeria alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Shettima’s political journey has been remarkable. It has also generated disagreements, competing interests, public controversies, and speculation about his political future.
When questions arose about whether he should continue as President Tinubu’s running mate in 2027, I considered it necessary to speak up, defend his place in the political arrangement, and challenge arguments that I believed undermined his contributions and the principle of political loyalty.
Today, following the confirmation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for the 2027 presidential election, it is appropriate to document that journey, reflect on the role I played in the public defence of the Vice President, appreciate those who have demonstrated genuine commitment, and reaffirm my determination to work for the success of the APC across the North-East.
This is not a declaration of personal ownership over a political achievement. Rather, it is a record of conviction,participation, sacrifice, and the responsibility to preserve the history of a struggle that many people may remember differently with the passage of time.
2. KASHIM SHETTIMA: FROM BANKING TO THE SENATE AND THE VICE PRESIDENCY
The story of Vice President Kashim Shettima is one of a professional who transitioned from the financial sector into public service and eventually rose through Nigeria’s political system to occupy one of the highest offices in the country.
Born on 2 September 1966 in Maiduguri, Borno State, Shettima studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri and obtained a master’s degree in the same discipline from the University of Ibadan. He subsequently built a career in banking, rising to become a General Manager at Zenith Bank before leaving the sector for public service in 2007.
His first major political assignment was as a commissioner in the Borno State Government. He served in several portfolios, including Finance, Local Government Affairs, Education, Agriculture, and Health.
In 2011, he was elected Governor of Borno State under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was re-elected in 2015 under the APC and served until 2019.
His governorship coincided with one of the most difficult periods in Borno State’s modern history. The Boko Haram insurgency presented extraordinary security, humanitarian, economic, and administrative challenges. His administration operated within that difficult environment while pursuing governance and reconstruction efforts.
In 2019, Shettima was elected Senator representing Borno Central Senatorial District under the APC. His election to the Senate marked another chapter in his political career, taking him from the executive leadership of a state to the legislative arm of the Federal Republic.
In 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR selected him as his running mate for the presidential election. Their joint ticket won the election, and Shettima was sworn in as Vice President of Nigeria on 29 May 2023.
The transition from Senator to Vice President was therefore not an isolated political event. It followed years of public service, executive experience, party participation, and political engagement.
THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING SHETTIMA’S PLACE ON THE 2027 PRESIDENTIAL TICKET
The question of whether Vice President Kashim Shettima should remain President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate became a major subject of political discussion ahead of the 2027 general election.
Some of the arguments were linked to the religious composition of the 2023 APC presidential ticket, which brought together two Muslim candidates. Others reflected regional considerations, competing political ambitions, internal party calculations, and arguments about how the party could consolidate its electoral support.
As the debate intensified, different names and possible alternatives were discussed in political circles and sections of the media.
For Shettima’s supporters, however, the issue went beyond speculation about a running mate. It raised fundamental questions about political continuity, fairness, loyalty, and the recognition of an incumbent Vice President’s contribution to the administration.
My position throughout this period was that Shettima deserved a fair assessment of his record and that his place in the administration should not be treated as an expendable political arrangement.
MY ROLE IN DEFENDING VICE PRESIDENT KASHIM SHETTIMA
There are moments in political life when silence is the easiest option. There are also moments when conviction demands that one speaks, even when doing so may attract criticism.
The controversy surrounding Shettima’s place on the 2027 Presidential Ticket was one such period for me.
As a founding leader and pioneer National Vice Chairman of the APC for the North-East, I understood that my political responsibility extended beyond holding a title. It also required defending positions I considered fair and protecting the integrity of political relationships.
When questions arose about the Vice President’s political future, I took my position to the public space, including print and social media, to articulate my views and defend Shettima’s place.
For me, defending Shettima was not simply about defending an individual. It was about defending the principle that political relationships should be assessed fairly and that those who have contributed to a political project should not be discarded casually.
A SYNOPSIS OF THE THEMES OF MY PUBLIC DEFENCE OF SHETTIMA
My public defence can be documented under six principal themes:
A. Defending Shettima’s political experience and capacity
His experience as Commissioner, two-term Governor, Senator, and Vice President represents several stages of public service that deserved serious consideration.
B. Challenging the campaign for his replacement
I challenged the assumption that changing the Vice President would automatically improve the party’s political prospects, considering its implications for party unity and stability.
C. Defending political loyalty and continuity
I believed that retaining an established partner could demonstrate continuity, confidence, and respect for the working relationship that brought the administration into office.
D. Questioning opportunism in political debates
My concern was that the Vice President’s political future should be discussed on its merits rather than become an opportunity for individuals to advance competing ambitions.
E. Protecting the integrity of the APC
My role as a founding leader informed my position that the party’s internal discussions should strengthen its institutions rather than weaken confidence in its leadership.
F. Supporting a stable Tinubu-Shettima partnership
I considered continuity a legitimate basis for supporting the retention of the ticket.
WHEN THE POLITICAL WEATHER CHANGES: LOYALTY, RECOGNITION, AND THE ARRIVAL OF NEW SUPPORTERS
Political life frequently produces a familiar pattern. When a leader is under pressure, the number of people willing to defend that leader may appear limited. When the same leader’s position becomes secure, supporters may emerge from different directions.
Many people who previously expressed doubts about the ticket are now participating in the broader effort to secure victory for the same ticket. I welcome that development. A political project benefits from broader participation.
Nevertheless, it is important that the history of the struggle remains accurate. Those who stood by the Vice President during the difficult period should not be forgotten. There is a difference between joining a successful movement and helping to defend that movement when its outcome is uncertain.
H.E SENATOR ALI MODU SHERIFF: A POLITICAL FATHER EMBRACING HIS POLITICAL CONSTITUENT
One of the most encouraging developments is the importance of reconciliation among leaders within the APC.
In this regard, I wish to express my profound appreciation to His Excellency, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, former Governor of Borno State.
I sincerely appreciate Senator Sheriff for embracing his political god-son, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, and for the spirit of reconciliation that such a gesture represents. Political relationships can experience disagreements. What matters is the willingness of leaders to look beyond their differences when a larger objective requires unity.
I also acknowledge Senator Sheriff’s participation in the wider effort to mobilise political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of 2027. His experience and relationships across the North-East will strengthen coordination and grassroots mobilisation.
8. X-RAY OF VICE PRESIDENT SHETTIMA’S THOUGHTS ON OPPOSITION: WHY HE FEARS THE ENEMY WITHIN MORE THAN ATIKU
A few days ago, His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, made a profound political statement; “that he fears opposition from within rather than from His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar”. This statement deserves a careful x-ray.
A. What The Vice President Meant
He spoke as a seasoned tactician. Atiku Abubakar is a known quantity. His political playbook, his structure, his base, his strength in Adamawa and the North-East are predictable. Atiku as external opposition can be contained.
But the internal opposition is amorphous, invisible and more dangerous. The Vice President was referring to three layers:
(i) The Presidency’s Own Saboteurs: Powerful appointees, Ministers, and kitchen cabinet members who are working at cross-purposes with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for 2027 permutations.
(ii) The APC’s Unresolved Grievances: Where some party executives are moving to other parties, the aggrieved former Governors, Senators who lost out in 2023, the CPC bloc vs ANPP bloc, the El-Rufai factor, the Amaechi factor – all still within APC but ideologically elsewhere.
(iii) The “Second Term” Trap: History shows Nigerian Presidents are not defeated by opposition – Obasanjo, Jonathan, Buhari were all weakened from inside. Shettima, being a student of history, knows the real coup always comes from within. In short: Atiku will contest, but only an insider can betray.
B. Strategic Recommendations to Mitigate the Internal Opposition
As a critical stakeholder who will never jump ship, I put forward the following actionable suggestions for the Presidency:
1. Immediate Reconciliation and Improved Reward Mechanism: Mr. President must urgently convene a genuine reconciliation committee. Not the usual committee. Those 2023 Foot Soldiers who were neither settled nor considered fit to be appointed into the government are certainly the internal opposition of tomorrow. Some of us bought forms to contest party elective positions, regrettably, we were just waved aside as if we don’t matter in the polity some of us co-founded. Mr. President should please settle all genuinely aggrieved founding members.
2. Strengthen the Office of the Vice President: The VP cannot fight internal opposition if he is perceived as ceremonial. The Office should be given clear appointing and delivery responsibility, such as Head of the Economic Management Team for grassroots delivery, aside from its constitutional role as Chairman of NEC. When the VP is strong, internal saboteurs have less room.
3. Create an Internal Early Warning System: Establish a Presidential Political Intelligence Unit, not DSS, but purely political – made of loyal grassroots men across the six zones, to report anti-party activities of Ministers and appointees in real time.
4. Manage the Fintiri Factor in Adamawa: What just happened in Adamawa, 21 Local Government Chairmen dumping PDP for APC, is the antidote to internal opposition. If Governor Fintiri, a performing Governor whose development strides are feasible for even the blind to feel, is fully integrated into APC, it kills Atiku’s home base and also secures the party from within. The Presidency should not allow a few old APC Members in Adamawa and other States to sabotage the new entrants. That will create the very internal opposition Shettima fears.
5. Discipline and Sanctions: The APC Constitution must bite. Any Minister or appointee openly hobnobbing with ADC, NDP or any coalition against the party should be publicly sanctioned. The fear of sanctions kills internal rebellion.
6. Communication Discipline: The VP’s fear also stems from uncoordinated communication from within – Ministers contradicting the President, leaks from FEC. There must be one communication channel.
The VP Shettima is indeed right. Atiku cannot defeat Tinubu/Shettima in 2027 if APC is united. But a divided APC will defeat itself. The time to heal the internal wound is NOW, not in 2027.
THE NORTH-EAST AND THE 2027 APC PROJECT
As a North-Easterner, I consider the 2027 general election an important political responsibility.
The Presidential Objective: At the national level, my commitment is to the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
The Senatorial Objective in Adamawa State: I am also committed to working for the Senatorial Candidacy of His Excellency, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, CON.
The Governorship Objective: At the State level, my commitment is to the governorship ticket of Alhaji Tijjani Galadima and Rt. Hon. Adamu Kamale.
The Legislative Objective: My commitment also extends to the Candidates of the House of Representatives and the Adamawa State House of Assembly.
WHY MY COMMITMENT GOES BEYOND PERSONAL AMBITION
As a Founding Leader and Pioneer National Vice Chairman of the APC for the North-East, I consider Party-building a continuing responsibility. Founding a political movement creates obligations that extend beyond individual appointments. It requires the preservation of Institutional Memory and the defence of the party’s legitimate interests.
FROM DEFENDING A PERSON TO ADVANCING A COLLECTIVE PROJECT
The defence of Vice President Kashim Shettima and the mobilisation for the Tinubu-Shettima Ticket are connected, but they are not identical responsibilities. The first required speaking up during a period of uncertainty. The second requires working with a broader coalition to advance the party’s electoral objectives. I believe that the ability to move from one responsibility to the other is essential to political maturity.
12. THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION
This article is intended to serve as a record of my political position, my public defence of Vice President Kashim Shettima, my appreciation of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and my commitment to the APC’s 2027 electoral project. It is also a reminder that political history should not be written exclusively from the perspective of those who occupy public office. I consider it important to preserve the original articles, statements, and social media posts through which I defended Shettima as an archive for future generations.
CONCLUSION: LOYALTY REMEMBERED, UNITY RESTORED, AND THE WORK AHEAD
The journey of Vice President Kashim Shettima from the Senate to the Vice Presidency, and from uncertainty about his political future to confirmation on the 2027 APC Presidential Ticket, provides an important lesson about the changing nature of political life.
For my part, I remain satisfied that I spoke up for a position I believed was fair and necessary. I defended Shettima because I believed his political experience, his place in the administration, and the importance of continuity deserved recognition.
I welcome everyone who is now working towards the same objective. I equally appreciate Senator Ali Modu Sheriff for the spirit of reconciliation and the role he is playing.
As we move towards the 2027 general election, I remain committed to the political objectives I have outlined for the North-East and Adamawa State.
Let the past teach us. Let the present unite us. Let the future challenge us to greater service.
May Almighty God guide our Leaders, strengthen the APC, protect the People of the North-East, and grant Nigeria peace, stability, and progress.
Umar Dauda Duhu, LLM, Ph.D
Founding Leader and Pioneer National Vice Chairman, North-East
All Progressives Congress (APC)
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