Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has distanced himself from growing calls urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to select him as a running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
Reacting to recent campaigns led by the Northern Nigeria Progressive Youth Assembly (NNPYA), Senator Barau, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, described the move as “out of place” and urged supporters to halt the campaign.
“My attention has been drawn to posts on social media and reports in national dailies by groups, including the NNPYA, asking our leader, President Tinubu, to pick me as his running mate in 2027. This is not appropriate at the moment and not in our best interest,” he stated.
The senator urged his supporters to redirect their energy toward supporting the president’s efforts in delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda, rather than engaging in premature political scheming.
“If you are truly my supporters, please, desist from this unnecessary clamour and join the mission to restore Nigeria’s glory under President Tinubu’s leadership,” Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said.
His comments come amid political murmurs regarding the fate of Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the next election cycle. Notably, during a recent meeting of APC North East stakeholders in Gombe, the party’s zonal vice chairman, Salihu Mustapha, declined to endorse Shettima for the 2027 joint ticket.
Despite these developments, Senator Barau reiterated his full support for President Tinubu and emphasized the importance of unity and focus on national development.
“This is not the time for distractions. What should be paramount is the president’s success in reshaping our country. He is sincerely committed to transforming Nigeria. Let us all support his vision and be part of the solution,” he concluded.
