Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has distanced himself from rumours suggesting he could replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Dogara pleaded to be excluded from such discussions, emphasizing that political decisions should be guided by what is right rather than fear or external pressure.
He stated:
“I would have sincerely pleaded with you to leave me out of this, but let me say something. Whatever we are doing shouldn’t be because we are afraid of anybody breathing down our necks; it should be because it is the right thing to do.”
Dogara advocated for an inclusive government that unites Nigerians across religious lines, highlighting the need for religious balance in the ticket.
He argued that a rotational presidency or similar arrangement could help achieve this, regardless of regional origins.
“We are talking about running an inclusive government, bringing everybody in this country together, so that we can build a nation that works for all of us. So, if we are talking about rotational presidency, there is nothing stopping us from having that discussion as well, because you are not just talking about Northern Christians but about the Christian faith as a whole,” he said.
He further explained:
“If you have a Muslim, whether he comes from the North or the South, let it be that he is representing the Muslim community. And if you have a Christian, wherever he comes from, he represents the Christian faith. That way, you achieve religious balance.”
Dogara acknowledged that conversations about a potential Christian running mate in 2027 are already underway but deferred ultimate authority to President Tinubu, noting that no incumbent president has ever lost their party’s primary.
“At the end of the day, whatever the president decides, nobody who is a serving president has ever lost the party primaries. So, we assume that the president will get the party’s ticket,” he added.
The remarks come amid ongoing speculation within political circles about the All Progressives Congress (APC) potentially fielding another Muslim-Muslim ticket or adjusting the vice-presidential slot for broader appeal and religious inclusivity ahead of 2027.
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