Sam Amadi just threw a political grenade for 2027

Sam Amadi, the former NERC chairman, has suggested on X that if President Tinubu retains Vice President Shettima for the 2027 ticket, Atiku Abubakar might be forced to pick Rauf Aregbesola as his running mate. This would mean another Muslim-Muslim ticket from the opposition, and Amadi believes it could steal some votes from the Southwest while leaving the rest of the South cold.

Let me be very clear: this is not just speculation. Atiku has already picked Chibuike Amaechi as his running mate according to the ADC chairman in Rivers State. So Amadi's scenario is a hypothetical that assumes Amaechi is dropped or that the ticket changes. But the logic is sound — the Southwest is a battleground, and Tinubu's base there is strong. Aregbesola, being a former Osun governor, could pull some Yoruba votes away from Tinubu, especially among those who feel Tinubu has not delivered.

But here is the problem: Atiku's track record of picking running mates is messy. He went with Obi in 2019, then Okowa in 2023, and now Amaechi. If he pivots again to Aregbesola, it will look like desperation. And honestly, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is still a sensitive issue in the South. It cost Tinubu some votes in 2023. Atiku adopting it would be a gamble that could backfire badly. Tell me, do you think Atiku can actually pull off a Muslim-Muslim ticket without losing the South entirely?