Opinion

Kashim Shettima and the Question of Continuity in 2027

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<p><&excl;-- BEGIN THEIA POST SLIDER --><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 3&period;0&period;4 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad4" id&equals;"quads-ad4" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Kashim S<&sol;p><div class&equals;"MNT7Z5EZ" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<&excl;-- TV --> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"4399361195" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"auto" &NewLine; data-full-width-responsive&equals;"true"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>By Baba Dantiye&comma; MON&comma; mni&comma; FNGE<&sol;p><div class&equals;"TIXeZWab" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<&excl;-- TV --> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"4399361195" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"auto" &NewLine; data-full-width-responsive&equals;"true"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>As Nigeria gradually approaches another election cycle&comma; political discussions are naturally beginning to focus on the choices that will shape the 2027 general elections&period; Among the issues attracting attention is the question of presidential tickets and&comma; particularly&comma; the role of Vice President Kashim Shettima within the current administration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The choice of a running mate is one of the most significant decisions in any presidential contest&period; It involves considerations that go beyond electoral calculations&period; Factors such as competence&comma; experience&comma; political balance&comma; governance record&comma; public perception and the ability to complement the President’s vision all play important roles&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Against this background&comma; the performance&comma; public service record and leadership contributions of Vice President Kashim Shettima have become central to discussions about continuity and the future direction of the Tinubu administration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 3&period;0&period;4 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad3" id&equals;"quads-ad3" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"Zl2lWO8A" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block&semi; text-align&colon;center&semi;" &NewLine; data-ad-layout&equals;"in-article" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"fluid" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"6550225277"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>Since assuming office in May 2023&comma; Shettima has occupied an important position within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu&period; As Vice President&comma; his responsibilities have included representing the President at official engagements&comma; chairing strategic meetings&comma; coordinating government initiatives and engaging with national and international stakeholders&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>One of the notable features of the Tinubu-Shettima partnership has been the public display of cooperation between the President and his deputy&period; Nigeria’s political history has witnessed instances where relationships between presidents and vice presidents became strained&comma; creating distractions that affected governance&period; The relatively smooth working relationship between the two leaders has been viewed by observers as an important factor in maintaining stability within the administration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Shettima has consistently presented himself as a supportive deputy&comma; focusing on responsibilities assigned to him and contributing to the implementation and communication of government policies&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In political leadership&comma; loyalty is often considered alongside competence and capacity&period; A Vice President is expected not only to support the President but also to bring experience&comma; judgment and independent value to governance&period; Supporters of Shettima point to his ability to maintain this balance by remaining committed to the administration while drawing from his extensive background in public service&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>His leadership of the National Economic Council &lpar;NEC&rpar; is one of the key areas in which his role has attracted attention&period; The Council provides a platform for collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments on issues affecting economic development&comma; infrastructure&comma; agriculture&comma; energy and other national priorities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Chairing such a body requires political maturity&comma; patience and the ability to manage diverse interests&period; Nigeria’s governors represent different political parties&comma; regions and perspectives&period; Effective coordination therefore depends on consultation&comma; dialogue and consensus-building&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As a former Governor of Borno State&comma; Shettima brings practical experience of state administration and an understanding of the challenges faced by sub-national governments&period; This background has been useful in facilitating discussions between the Federal Government and State leaders on issues requiring collective action&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Vice President has also been involved in government efforts relating to economic coordination&comma; food security and other national development priorities&period; While the long-term impact of many policies will continue to be assessed&comma; his role demonstrates the importance of coordination and collaboration in a complex federal system&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 3&period;0&period;4 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad1" id&equals;"quads-ad1" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Another area frequently discussed is his role in communicating government policies&period; The current administration has introduced significant economic reforms that have generated extensive public debate&period; In such circumstances&comma; communication and public engagement become important elements of governance&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Shettima has consistently used public platforms to explain government positions&comma; engage stakeholders and present the administration’s perspective on national issues&period; His approach has generally emphasised patience&comma; understanding and the long-term objectives of government programmes&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Beyond his current office&comma; Shettima’s experience as Governor of Borno State remains an important part of his public record&period; He governed during one of the most challenging periods in Nigeria’s recent history&comma; when the Boko Haram insurgency created serious security and humanitarian difficulties&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Leading Borno State during that period required resilience&comma; crisis management skills and the ability to work with security agencies&comma; traditional institutions&comma; humanitarian organisations and development partners&period; His administration operated under extraordinary circumstances while attempting to sustain government services and support affected communities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>That experience contributed to his understanding of security management&comma; humanitarian challenges and the relationship between peace&comma; stability and development&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>His political journey also reflects experience across different levels of governance&period; Before becoming Vice President&comma; he served in the Senate&comma; where he participated in national legislative processes and gained further exposure to federal governance&period; His experience as a former governor&comma; legislator and Vice President has shaped his understanding of Nigeria’s political and administrative environment&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Observers have also highlighted his relationship with his successor in Borno State as an example of political transition without public disagreement&period; In Nigeria’s political environment&comma; where transitions between elected officials can sometimes lead to conflicts&comma; peaceful succession and institutional continuity are often regarded as positive developments&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Vice President’s relationship with Northern stakeholders has also formed part of discussions around his political relevance&period; Through engagements with traditional institutions&comma; business communities&comma; professional groups and other stakeholders&comma; he has remained one of the administration’s prominent voices in explaining government policies and national priorities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The North remains an important component of Nigeria’s political landscape&comma; and leaders from the region have historically played significant roles in national affairs&period; Shettima’s experience and political network have contributed to his visibility in national conversations&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>However&comma; the question of a presidential ticket involves broader considerations beyond the performance of an individual office holder&period; Political parties must consider issues such as national spread&comma; electoral strategy&comma; changing alliances&comma; public sentiment and the overall objectives of the party&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Different perspectives will naturally emerge as Nigeria moves closer to 2027&period; Some may emphasise continuity and the value of retaining an established partnership&comma; while others may advocate different approaches based on evolving political circumstances&period; Such debates are part of the democratic process&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Ultimately&comma; the decision on the composition of the presidential ticket will rest with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress&period; Their decision will reflect political consultations&comma; strategic considerations and their assessment of what best serves their objectives and the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Nevertheless&comma; public discussion remains important because democracy is strengthened when citizens assess leaders based on performance&comma; responsibility and contributions to national development&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>A successful administration depends not only on policies but also on teamwork among those entrusted with implementing them&period; Stability&comma; trust and institutional experience are valuable assets in governance&comma; particularly in a country as complex and diverse as Nigeria&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Whether continuity is ultimately preferred or a different path is chosen&comma; the debate underscores an enduring principle&colon; democratic leadership is strengthened when decisions are informed by performance&comma; experience&comma; constitutional responsibility and the public interest&period; As Nigeria looks ahead to 2027&comma; the experience&comma; service and contributions of Kashim Shettima will remain central to any serious assessment of the choices before the nation&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>About the Writer<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Baba Dantiye&comma; MON&comma; mni&comma; FNGE&comma; is a former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs&comma; Kano State and former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors &lpar;2003–2008&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><&excl;-- END THEIA POST SLIDER -->&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 3&period;0&period;4 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad5" id&equals;"quads-ad5" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"autorelaxed" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"1004305389"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 3&period;0&period;4 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad4" id&equals;"quads-ad4" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;

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