Vice President Kashim Shettima has said internal divisions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) pose a greater threat to the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections than opposition parties.
Shettima made the remarks on Saturday in Abuja while unveiling the campaign headquarters of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a northern coalition supporting the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, and inaugurating its campaign structure.
“Honestly, I am not afraid of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I am not afraid of a diminished Peter Obi. But I am more afraid of internal contradictions within our household. If we unite as a people, as a family, we will conquer,” the Vice President said.
He urged northern political leaders to avoid prioritising the presidential election at the expense of APC candidates contesting governorship and legislative elections.
“There is no point in championing the cause of the presidential election and then undermining the governor in the gubernatorial election. Honestly, it will not go down well with the system,” he said.
Shettima called on party members to support APC governors, members of the National Assembly and President Tinubu to secure victory in the forthcoming elections.
“Let’s rally round our governors. Let’s rally round our members of the National Assembly. Let’s rally round President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and see to the victory in the next round of elections,” he added.
The Vice President expressed confidence in the APC’s support base in northern Nigeria, saying the region had demonstrated its preference for the ruling party.
“By now, I believe the North has spoken. We have spoken with a resounding voice and unmistakable conviction. From Adamawa to Zamfara, from Borno to Niger, we have spoken,” he said.
He also reminded party leaders that the election was approaching, urging them to seek voters’ support while acknowledging the challenges Nigerians continue to face.
“In less than 100 days, Nigerians will return to the polls. Democracy requires us to seek their confidence again, with humility about the work outstanding and conviction about the cause we have chosen,” Shettima said.
The Vice President urged APC members to intensify their political activities and defeat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the polls.
“Go and perform. Go and defeat Baba Atiku. Defeat him respectfully,” he said.
On the party’s electoral preparedness, Shettima said the APC had enough officials to cover polling units across the country.
He disclosed that Nigeria had 176,845 polling units, while the APC had 361,045 officials from ward to local government levels.
“What it means is that we can match every polling unit two to two,” he said.
Shettima also stressed the importance of holding political appointees accountable for the party’s performance in their respective communities.
He said he had directed the Borno State governor to compile a list of political appointees from the state down to the local government level.
“Let him account for his performance at his polling unit, at his ward unit and in his local government,” he said, emphasising that political success depended on grassroots mobilisation.
The Vice President further highlighted the APC’s growing political influence in the North, claiming that 18 of the region’s 19 states were controlled by the party.
He also said 15 of the 18 members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the House of Representatives from Kano State had defected to the APC, adding that the state governor was also aligned with the ruling party.
However, Shettima acknowledged the economic difficulties facing many Nigerians, saying the government must remain conscious of the hardships experienced by households.
“Every household struggling to make ends meet reminds us how much remains to be done,” he said.
He warned government officials against relying solely on praise and positive feedback, adding, “We lose our hearing when applause becomes our only source of information.”
Defending the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, Shettima said the President inherited a fragile economy when he assumed office.
According to him, Nigeria’s foreign reserves stood at $3.9 billion, while the government’s Ways and Means advances had exceeded N27 trillion.
“Nigeria was on the road to Caracas. The economy was teetering on the brink of collapse. He literally saved the nation,” Shettima said.
He further claimed that the country’s foreign reserves had risen to approximately $58.9 billion, describing the development as a major improvement.
The Vice President assured northern Nigerians that they had nothing to fear about Tinubu seeking a second term, insisting that the President remained committed to the region’s interests.
“For the North, we have absolutely nothing to fear in a Tinubu second term. He has the North at heart,” he said.
Speaking at the event, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, called for the renewal of Tinubu’s mandate, expressing confidence that northern voters would again support the President.
“Today is a time for us to renew a mandate that was largely supported by the North, and the North again will largely support the return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term,” Yilwatda said.
He highlighted infrastructure projects in the region, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Kano-Maiduguri roads, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to northern development.
Yilwatda said the two road projects covered more than 900 kilometres, comparing their combined length with the Lagos road network.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of A4A and former Jigawa State governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, disclosed that the coalition’s campaign headquarters was located at No. 4 Port Harcourt Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
Badaru described the facility as the biggest campaign office in the country, saying it represented the coalition’s determination to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
“Let it be understood that this building is more than just a campaign office. It is a message. It says that Arewa is serious,” he said.
He added that the coalition would conduct a disciplined, peaceful and issue-based campaign, taking its message to markets, farms, campuses, mosques and churches.
