2027: ‘Don’t pull down the roof,’ Shettima cautions politicians against disunity

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged political actors to exercise restraint and prioritise unity as consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Shettima made the call in a statement posted on his social media pages on Thursday, warning against actions capable of weakening party structures during the political season.

He noted that the build-up to elections often comes with intense competition, but cautioned against mistaking disagreement for hostility.

“The political season is upon us again, and with it comes the familiar fever of democracy… But every season of politics also comes with its temptations. It comes with the temptation to mistake disagreement for betrayal, competition for enmity, preference for exclusion, and media interpretation for truth,” he said.

The Vice President stressed that political parties should not be treated as battlefields, but as collective platforms that must be preserved.

“We must remind ourselves that a political party is not a battlefield. It is a family. And even in the most spirited family, the roof must never be pulled down because one room appears warmer than another.

“We are members of one political household. We may have different aspirations, different loyalists, different zones of influence, different calculations, and different preferred outcomes. That is normal. Democracy was never designed to abolish ambition. It was designed to civilise it. It was designed to teach us that we can compete without destroying one another, disagree without demonising one another, and lose without setting fire to the very platform that gave us a voice,” he stated.

He warned party members against being influenced by divisive narratives, including misinformation and political manipulation.

“We must therefore refuse the temptation to be manipulated by the media, by mischief-makers, by vested interests, or by those who profit from division. There will always be those who whisper that one leader has been slighted, that one bloc has been excluded, or that one interest has been buried. These are familiar tricks in the theatre of politics. They are meant to provoke suspicion, inflame supporters, and turn comrades into adversaries before the real contest even begins,” Shettima said.

According to him, the real challenge lies beyond party primaries, noting that unity remains critical to electoral success.

“The primaries will produce candidates, but the general election will test the strength of our unity. A fractured party may produce a candidate, but only a united party can produce victory,” he added.

Shettima emphasised the need for fairness and transparency in party processes, urging leaders to treat aspirants with dignity and ensure credible primaries.

“Party leaders must therefore act with fairness. Aspirants must be treated with dignity. Delegates must be allowed to act without fear. Processes must be transparent enough to command respect, even from those who lose,” he said.

He also advised aspirants and their supporters to manage disappointment with maturity and remain loyal to party structures.

“No ambition is worth the destruction of the platform that nurtured it… No ticket is worth turning comrades into enemies,” he cautioned.

The Vice President further urged political stakeholders to place national interest above personal ambition, noting that Nigerians are closely observing the conduct of political actors.

“Nigerians are not merely listening to our speeches; they are studying our temperament… A politician who destroys his party because he lost a ticket may destroy a state because he lost an argument,” he said.

Referencing the leadership style of President Bola Tinubu, Shettima said internal cohesion and coalition-building remain vital to sustaining democratic governance.

“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has shown, through a long political journey, that democracy thrives on accommodation, persuasion, resilience, and coalition-building. That example must guide us. The strength of a party is not in the absence of disagreements, but in its capacity to resolve them without losing its soul.”

He concluded by calling for moderation, unity and discipline among party members.

“Contest, but do not destroy. Disagree, but do not defame. Aspire, but do not divide… And after the primaries, let us close ranks, because the real battle will not be among ourselves,” he said.