Shettima spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the unveiling of the campaign headquarters of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a northern political coalition backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He warned that internal disagreements could undermine the party’s electoral prospects if members failed to demonstrate unity and support APC candidates across all levels of government.
“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,” the vice-president said.
The vice-president urged northern political leaders to ensure that their support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition was matched by backing for APC governors seeking re-election in their respective states.
He called on party members to work collectively for the success of APC candidates contesting for governorship, National Assembly and presidential seats.
Shettima expressed confidence in the North’s support for Tinubu, declaring that political backing for the president extended across several states in the region.
“From Adamawa to Zamfara, from Borno to Niger, we have spoken,” he said.
He also called on party members to intensify their mobilisation efforts ahead of the elections, which he said were less than 100 days away.
Addressing the party’s challenge of competing against former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Shettima urged APC members to approach the contest with determination while maintaining respect for their opponents.
“Go and perform. Go and defeat Baba Atiku. Defeat him respectfully,” he said.
Shettima cited the party’s organisational network as a major resource in its preparations for the elections, claiming that the APC had 361,045 officials across its ward and local government structures.
He said the party had sufficient personnel to cover the country’s 176,845 polling units, emphasising the importance of effective grassroots mobilisation.
The vice-president also challenged political appointees to demonstrate their influence in their respective communities, arguing that their contributions should be assessed through electoral performance at polling units, wards and local government areas.
“Politics is still local,” he said.
He further claimed that 18 of the 19 northern states were controlled by the APC. On Kano State, he said 15 of the 18 members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) had defected to the ruling party.
The remarks underscored the importance Shettima attached to party organisation, political alliances and grassroots engagement in the run-up to the 2027 polls.
Despite his appeal for electoral mobilisation, Shettima acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, saying the administration remained conscious of the pressures confronting households.
“Every household struggling to make ends meet reminds us how much remains to be done,” he said.
He nevertheless defended Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the administration had inherited a fragile economy marked by limited foreign reserves and substantial government financing obligations.
According to Shettima, Nigeria had foreign reserves of $3.9 billion when Tinubu assumed office, while Ways and Means advances exceeded N27 trillion.
He said foreign reserves had subsequently increased to approximately $58.9 billion, presenting the figure as evidence of improvement in the country’s external financial position.
The claims formed part of the vice-president’s defence of the administration’s economic management amid continuing concerns about household purchasing power and the cost of living.
Shettima also sought to reassure northern Nigerians about the implications of another Tinubu administration, insisting that the president had the region’s interests at heart.
His remarks placed party unity, regional support and the administration’s economic record at the centre of the APC’s preparations for the next general elections.
The vice-president’s warning about internal divisions highlighted a challenge facing the ruling party as it seeks to maintain cohesion among its state chapters, political office holders and competing interest groups.
His appeal was for party members to align their local political activities with the broader re-election campaign, while ensuring that economic concerns among Nigerians remained part of the administration’s priorities.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the APC’s ability to manage internal disagreements and coordinate its political structures will remain an important issue in the party’s preparations for the polls.
