The National Director of Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bala Ibrahim, has dismissed the controversy trailing the omission of Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s photograph from a party banner as unnecessary and driven by mischief.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Daily Trust, Ibrahim described the speculation over the Vice-President’s political future as exaggerated and aimed at creating tension within the Presidency.
“You don’t talk about crossing a river before you get to the bridge. This speculation about the position of the Vice President is overhyped and laced with mischief, intended to trigger a rift in the Presidency,” he said.
Ibrahim stressed that the Constitution recognises a single presidency, explaining that the office of the Vice-President exists primarily to provide constitutional cover when the President is unable to discharge his duties.
“At no point has the Vice President complained of being sidelined or excluded. It is troublemakers who are creating a storm in a teacup,” he added, urging party members to exercise restraint as discussions around the 2027 general elections intensify.
Banner Omission Sparks Protest
The APC spokesman’s reaction comes amid renewed internal unease within the ruling party over the political future of Shettima ahead of 2027, following the omission of his photograph from a banner displayed at a major party event in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The incident occurred on Monday during the North-East zonal public hearing on proposed amendments to the APC constitution, which was attended by governors, party leaders and other stakeholders from the region.
The banner showcased images of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the five APC governors from the North-East and the party’s National Legal Adviser, but conspicuously excluded the Vice-President, who hails from Borno State.
The omission drew an immediate protest from the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, who described it as unfair, provocative and ill-timed.
Speaking at the venue, Lawan warned that such actions could reopen unresolved fault lines within the ruling party, urging organisers to be mindful of the sensitivities surrounding party unity in the region.