Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against any move to replace Vice-President Kashim Shettima before the 2027 presidential election, warning that such a decision could hurt the party’s electoral chances.
Speaking on the MIC ON podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, Musawa addressed speculation that the ruling party may consider choosing a Christian running mate for President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle. She argued that altering the current religious and regional balance of the ticket could create serious political challenges.
According to Musawa, removing a northern Muslim from the ticket could lead to resistance among voters in the region.
“If we toy with changing the construct of what we have now, it is a problem. If there is no Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri Muslim on that ticket, it creates a hurdle. That’s the reality of the way the people think,” she said.
Musawa stressed that politics in northern Nigeria is closely tied to identity and civic awareness. She described the region as highly politically conscious, noting that even people in remote communities closely follow national and international events.
“I come from a very rural area in Katsina State. All my family and all the people that I know that have never been to school have a radio. They will tell you about the Russian Revolution. BBC Hausa did what it was supposed to do,” she said.
She added that many northern communities see elections as a key opportunity to influence national direction. “They wait every four years to line up. A man with his four wives and 30 children, everybody is going to line up, because that’s where they know they can have an impact in positioning Nigeria. For them, it is almost like an identity,” Musawa explained.
The minister also downplayed the prospects of the opposition unseating the Tinubu–Shettima ticket in 2027, describing opposition figures as strong individually but divided by personal ambitions.
“To be fair, I think all of the members of the opposition are formidable people. But honestly, especially the way the opposition is emerging, I don’t see how the opposition as it is now can unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima,” she said.
Musawa described the opposition field as crowded, with key figures competing for the same position, which she said could weaken their chances.
While acknowledging the political weight of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, she questioned how a potential alliance between Atiku and Peter Obi would work, given leadership ambitions and voter expectations. She also dismissed claims that former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai could significantly erode APC support in the North-West.
