A high-stakes stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria’s North-East ended abruptly on Saturday following a heated disagreement over the exclusion of Vice President Kashim Shettima from a motion endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027.
The meeting, held in Gombe State, was initially convened to solidify support for the president’s re-election bid as other geopolitical zones of the ruling party had recently done. However, the gathering quickly descended into chaos after the APC Zonal Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, unilaterally declared Tinubu as the sole candidate for the 2027 election—without reference to Vice President Shettima, who hails from the region.
This exclusion sparked outrage among several party members and stakeholders present at the meeting, leading to confusion and shouting matches. As tensions escalated, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and some governors had to be hurriedly escorted out of the venue by their security details.
Attempts to douse the growing tension by Deputy National Chairman (North), Bukar Dalori, who tried to include Shettima in his remarks, failed to calm frayed nerves. Ganduje, during his own speech, reaffirmed the endorsement of President Tinubu—again omitting any mention of the vice president.
A party insider who spoke to Vanguard said the host governor, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, was privately opposed to the idea of a unilateral endorsement excluding the vice president but lacked the political courage to publicly challenge the motion.
Despite the uproar, some lawmakers from the region voiced support for the joint ticket. Usman Kumo, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives and member representing Kumo/Billiri Federal Constituency, endorsed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket on behalf of the North-East House caucus. Similarly, Senator M.T. Monguno, Chief Whip of the Senate from Borno North, backed the joint ticket on behalf of North-East senators.
In addition, four National Working Committee (NWC) members from the region—including Dalori (Borno), Mohammad Ali Kumo (Gombe), Zainab Ibrahim (Taraba), and Abubakar Maikafi (Bauchi)—publicly supported Tinubu’s re-election with Shettima as his running mate. However, Salihu remained the lone dissenting voice, opposing what he described as a premature and divisive move.
This development comes amid rising speculation that President Tinubu may consider replacing Shettima on the 2027 ticket with either a Christian from the North-East or another northern Muslim—possibly from the North-West—as part of a strategic political realignment.
Ironically, only weeks ago, on May 29, the North-East chapter of the APC passed a vote of confidence in Shettima during an event celebrating Tinubu’s one year in office. At that event, Mustapha Salihu himself commended the president for fostering good relations with the region and for appointing Malam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser.
Salihu, speaking at that occasion in Abuja where two Adamawa youths were celebrated for cycling 14 days from Yola to Abuja in honour of Tinubu, rejected rumours about Shettima’s removal.
“Governance is not done on social media or in newspapers. We cannot glorify rumours of any planned substitution of the vice president,” Salihu had said then.
He added:
“The president has done a lot for our zone by giving us the vice presidency and other key appointments. Mr. President saw merit in picking Shettima, and we reaffirm our confidence in him.”
The recent events in Gombe, however, suggest growing political uncertainty within the APC’s northern ranks, as the party navigates internal dynamics ahead of the 2027 elections.
Observers say how the presidency and party leadership manage this delicate situation—balancing Tinubu’s ambition with Shettima’s political relevance—could shape the future of APC’s North-East stronghold and the party’s broader national strategy.
