Tensions are boiling inside the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a rumoured plan to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima from the 2027 presidential ticket begins to tear on the occasion’s seams.
Though the following common election continues to be two years away, the controversy has already triggered violent clashes, protests, and a rising divide inside the occasion—notably within the North-East, the place Shettima instructions sturdy help.
The most recent signal of hassle got here on Sunday in Gombe State, the place a stakeholders’ assembly of the APC North-East zone erupted into chaos following allegations that the Vice President was being sidelined.
A gathering convened to reaffirm help for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid led to violence after some key occasion leaders failed to say Shettima as a part of the proposed 2027 joint ticket. The omission provoked offended chants of “Shettima! Shettima!!” and a bodily assault on APC North-East Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu, who was struck with a chair and chased off the stage.
Held on the Worldwide Convention Centre in Gombe, the assembly descended into dysfunction after Salihu concluded his tackle with out acknowledging the Vice President. He had known as for a proper endorsement of Tinubu because the occasion’s sole candidate for 2027, with out mentioning Shettima.
Salihu said, “Now we have no enterprise not supporting this occasion with all of the juicy appointments and obligations given to us by this authorities… We need to reaffirm and likewise undertake the endorsement earlier finished by the Nationwide Working Committee, that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is endorsed to be a sole candidate for the 2027 election.”
This sparked instant outrage amongst Shettima’s supporters, who interpreted the silence as a deliberate slight. Within the chaos that adopted, chairs and objects have been thrown, prompting safety personnel to intervene. Efforts to calm the scenario by Deputy Nationwide Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, proved unsuccessful.
A Borno State delegate fumed, “It’s an insult to the complete area that our personal son, the Vice President, was not even talked about. It is a calculated try and sideline Shettima, and we are going to resist it with every little thing now we have.”
Regardless of the endorsement of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket by North-East governors — Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and host governor Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe) — tensions remained excessive. Governor Yahaya declared, “The North-East is totally behind the President and the Vice President. Their management has introduced renewed hope to this area.”
Nonetheless, the controversy deepened when APC Nationwide Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, prevented a direct affirmation of Shettima’s place on the ticket in his closing remarks. He mentioned, “This zone has produced the quantity two of this nation… we’re happy with his deputy, his Vice President, it’s one ticket in accordance with the Structure,” however the assertion didn’t appease delegates, a lot of whom chanted, “No Shettima, no APC within the North-East.”
Some occasion members even threatened to shift allegiance to the opposition. “If Shettima is dropped, I’ll personally lead my individuals to vote for Atiku,” a chieftain from Adamawa mentioned.
Exterior the venue, police fired teargas to disperse the agitated crowd. Eyewitnesses mentioned the confrontation mirrored deep fractures inside the occasion that might result in mass defections if not addressed.
In keeping with insiders, solely Mustapha Salihu opposed the joint ticket on the assembly. Different key figures, together with Hon. Usman Kumo (Home of Reps Chief Whip), Senator M.T. Monguno (Senate Chief Whip), and APC Deputy Nationwide Chairman (North), Dalori, all endorsed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
Nationwide Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, dismissed the hypothesis, calling it a distraction. “Shettima is a key asset—clever, centered, and deeply concerned on this administration. These rumours are possible simply political noise,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, unconfirmed experiences counsel some occasion powerbrokers could also be contemplating a stronger northern determine as Tinubu’s 2027 working mate.
Delegates from Borno State expressed disappointment over Salihu’s remarks. Usman Aliyu, a delegate and DG of the Borno State Nice Inexperienced Wall, mentioned, “It is a slap on our faces… Truthfully, we’re disillusioned as a result of we anticipate to have one voice.”
He added {that a} formal communiqué affirming the Tinubu/Shettima ticket can be issued, although issues linger over the silence of Gombe Governor Inuwa Yahaya in the course of the occasion.
Whereas Ganduje has beforehand said that Tinubu and Shettima are inseparable underneath the Structure, his imprecise speech on the day fueled extra suspicion.
Sokoto APC Chairman Isa Acida declined to state his chapter’s place. Nonetheless, a senior official, talking anonymously, mentioned, “We haven’t taken any place on the event however let me guarantee you that we’ll work along with the nationwide headquarters… as regards the selection of candidates for the 2027 common election.”
The endorsement of Tinubu as sole candidate for 2027 had been moved by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and seconded by Kaduna Governor Uba Sani. Nationwide Meeting leaders adopted go well with, however the rising controversy over Shettima’s destiny might complicate that momentum heading into 2027.
