A stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State descended into chaos on Sunday after Vice President Kashim Shettima was conspicuously excluded from a public endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.
The North-East zonal meeting, attended by high-ranking party officials including APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, federal ministers, governors, and lawmakers, was expected to affirm the party’s cohesion in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
But tensions flared when the APC’s National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed President Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for 2027 without any mention of Vice President Shettima, who hails from Borno State — a political stronghold in the region.
“We in the North-East unanimously endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term,” Salihu declared to the crowd. “The region is solidly behind his leadership and accomplishments.”
The omission of Shettima’s name provoked an immediate uproar among delegates sympathetic to the Vice President.
Footage from television concerning the event showed the sound of shouts of “What about Shettima?” erupted from the audience, quickly escalating into physical altercations.
Some delegates attempted to storm the podium and hurled chairs and other objects, targeting Salihu.
Live footage broadcast by AIT captured security personnel swiftly intervening to escort Salihu out of the venue amid the melee.
In a bid to calm frayed nerves, Deputy National Chairman (North) Bukar Dalori took to the stage and offered a dual endorsement.
“Let me be clear,” Dalori stated. “The ticket that brought us success in 2023 is the ticket we believe can deliver again in 2027 — that is Tinubu and Shettima, together.”
While Dalori’s comments were received with some applause, the atmosphere remained tense.
Matters deteriorated again when APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje delivered a 10-minute speech that also failed to acknowledge the Vice President’s role or candidacy.
“The APC remains the party of progress and national unity,” Ganduje said. “Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we are repositioning Nigeria for greatness.”
Once again, the omission of Shettima’s name ignited angry reactions, with chants and boos erupting from the crowd.
Ganduje was forced to end his speech abruptly and was escorted out under tight security as delegates surged toward the stage.
The meeting was ultimately cut short as tensions could not be contained.
The incident comes amid speculation of growing pressure for President Tinubu to drop Shettima from the 2027 ticket in favour of a Christian northerner — a move believed by some political strategists to be aimed at balancing the religious equation in the country.
2027: Why I endorsed Tinubu without mentioning Shettima – APC North-East Vice Chair
The National Vice Chairman (North-East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mustapha Salihu, has responded to widespread criticism following his endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 without mentioning Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Salihu made the controversial move during the recent APC North-East Stakeholders’ Summit held in Gombe State, which sparked outrage, particularly among supporters of the Vice President, who hails from the region.
Breaking his silence during an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday night, Salihu claimed his remarks had been grossly misrepresented, especially by some media outlets. He explained that the intention behind the motion was not to sideline anyone but to galvanize support for the continuity of APC’s leadership at the federal level.
“I think this trouble is largely caused by the constant misinterpretation and ill-reporting by the media,” he said. “You should have played my speech fully or even read the last paragraph before the endorsement.”
According to Salihu, his endorsement of President Tinubu was preceded by commendations of the Vice President and other key appointments allocated to the North-East zone.
“The last paragraph of my speech before the endorsement was eulogising the Vice President, even recognising him as our son, whom we are very proud of. We stand by him. I even mentioned all the ministers and other juicy appointments given to North-East indigenes, and thanked Asiwaju for that before calling for his endorsement as the sole candidate of the APC,” he explained.
Salihu, who narrowly escaped a violent mob attack during the summit, stressed that the APC’s internal nomination process allows only one presidential candidate to emerge during the primaries and the candidate would later has the constitutional right to select a running mate.
“There is no such thing as a joint ticket during party primaries,” he stated. “Only the presidential candidate emerges, and it is entirely his prerogative to choose a running mate after he becomes the flagbearer.”
While acknowledging that party leaders and stakeholders are often consulted, Salihu was firm in his position that the final decision on a running mate remains solely with the presidential candidate.
“Even though the party and stakeholders may be consulted, constitutionally, it is solely the candidate’s right,” he said.
Addressing the chaos in Gombe, Salihu denied any intentional omission of VP Shettima from his speech and dismissed allegations of an internal rift between President Tinubu and the Vice President.
