☆☆☆ The Nantawe/Ganduje Switch as Strategic Balancing and the Kwankwaso Facade

By: Special Correspondent

Never in the history of elections in Nigeria has the polity become so heated, so early, as in the countdown to the 2027 elections.

The seeming desperate attempt to cause disaffection against government in the face of hardships has provided fertile ground to de-market the presidency in particular.

While it remains an open secret that some people insist on having their way in the next elections, the fight looks dirtier, with the contest essentially among hitherto close political allies.

As it stands, plans are being drawn up to drag President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into political brawls far too early. While both the President and Vice President Kashim Shettima seem to have mustered the political will to withstand such diversionary tactics, some of their allies have not been as patient.

Of all the political speculations, the hype about President Tinubu substituting his Vice, Kashim Shettima, in 2027 has been most pronounced.

Our correspondent, who has been keenly monitoring events in and around the Presidency, however reports that there is actually nothing happening to suggest that President Tinubu has plans to pick a different running mate from Shettima.

Investigations reveal that, contrary to widely held notions that former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, was forced out to pave the way for Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to join the party and subsequently become Tinubu’s running mate, the real issues at stake were tactical realignments to correct certain impressions about the party.

Very close sources to the President confirmed to National Trail that Ganduje was made to give way for pure religious balancing in the top hierarchy of the APC leadership.

We can authoritatively report that Ganduje might not have resigned solely on health grounds, but rather to pave the way for the emergence of a Christian from the North Central—if only to correct preconceived notions that the APC favors only Muslims.

Our correspondent gathered that Ganduje’s exit and Professor Nantawe’s emergence were purely political calculations to correct such impressions about the APC, and not because President Tinubu is making adjustments to ease Shettima out.

While it remains true that the President has reached out to Rabiu Kwankwaso for a possible working relationship, the claim that Kwankwaso was being considered as Tinubu’s running mate was nothing but a facade.

According to a close confidant of the President, who preferred to remain anonymous, the last-minute choice of Professor Nantawe ahead of someone like Tanko Al-Makura as APC National Chairman was part of Tinubu’s strategy to maintain the Muslim-Muslim ticket while compensating Christians with other top positions.

Our source added that the relationship between Tinubu and Shettima has remained unshaken, with the Vice President still his closest confidant and work partner.

“There is nothing wrong with the pairing. Everything the Vice President has presented to the President has always been expressly approved. As we all know, the Vice President remains the face of this administration in global circles,” our source noted.

National Trail can also report that the President has often given Shettima a pat on the back at the end of every outing, just as the Vice President always attributes every success to his boss, the President.

Our correspondent, who monitors Vice President Shettima’s public statements, reports that he consistently attributes every official assignment to the President and always reverts to his principal at the end of engagements.

Speaking to our correspondent on the relationship between President Tinubu and his Vice, an APC stalwart from Borno State, Alhaji Yusuf Adamu, told National Trail that the ruse about substituting the Vice President was a familiar echo from dominant political forces who believe that nothing good could ever come from minority groups in the North.

Investigations also reveal that, far beyond the claims about demands from minority Christian Northerners for a Christian to be brought on board, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is no longer an issue, as the Tinubu/Shettima pairing has deconstructed arguments of religious dominance.

A visit to both the President and Vice President gives no sign of any friction; rather, one notices the usual cordial relationship known with the duo.

Sources in the Presidency confirmed to this medium that a think tank is strategically working out ways to deconstruct criticisms against President Tinubu while mapping out a robust re-election plan.

“You will agree with me that the promised benefits of our reform programmes are beginning to manifest, and we shall leverage the results to market President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima. For now, we are still watching,” he said.