Despite the 2027 general elections being two years away, a growing storm is brewing within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over an alleged plot to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate.
The controversy boiled over on Sunday at a North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe, which ended in chaos.
What was billed as a show of support for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 took a dramatic turn when the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, failed to acknowledge Vice President Shettima in his endorsement speech.
“We want to reaffirm and also adopt the endorsement earlier done by the National Working Committee, that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is endorsed to be a sole candidate for the 2027 election,” Salihu stated.
Angry delegates erupted in chants of “Shettima! Shettima!!” and violence broke out shortly after, with Salihu attacked on stage by enraged party members. A viral video showed him being struck with a chair as he tried to flee, while others hurled objects, including a plastic bucket, in protest.
Efforts by top party leaders, including the Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, to calm the crowd failed.
The unrest forced the abrupt end of the meeting, with security personnel using teargas to disperse the agitated crowd outside the venue.
A delegate from Borno State, Usman Aliyu, described the snub as a calculated insult to the region.
“This is a slap on our faces,” Aliyu said. “We expect to have one voice. We’ll issue a communiqué reaffirming Tinubu and Shettima’s candidacy.”
Another Borno delegate warned: “It’s an insult to the entire region that our own son, the Vice President, was not even mentioned. We will resist this attempt to sideline Shettima.”
According to The PUNCH, some delegates went as far as threatening to support opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar if Shettima is dropped.
“If Shettima is dropped, I will personally lead my people to vote for Atiku,” an APC chieftain from Adamawa declared.
Gombe Governor, Others Under Fire
Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, who hosted the event and also chairs the APC North-East Governors’ Forum, drew criticism for his vague speech, which only praised Tinubu without explicitly endorsing Shettima.
However, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Yobe’s Mai Mala Buni had earlier declared their full support for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, along with several National Assembly leaders from the region.
On his part, APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, attempted to manage the crisis but also failed to clearly state Shettima’s inclusion on the 2027 ticket.
“This zone has produced the number two of this country… We are proud of the North and we are proud of Nigeria as a nation,” Ganduje said vaguely. “We are proud of the Vice President. It is one ticket according to the Constitution.”
Still, this did little to placate angry delegates who continued to chant, “No Shettima, no APC in the North-East!”
Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), downplayed the uproar, dismissing the rumours as “political noise.”
“There’s a solid working relationship between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima. These rumours are distractions,” he told The PUNCH.
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala also said he was unaware of any plans to drop the Vice President.
Meanwhile, a top source at the meeting told The PUNCH that while most of the region’s National Working Committee (NWC) members endorsed the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, Salihu was the only one who didn’t.
“Only Comrade Mustapha Salihu spoke against the ticket. All four other NWC members from the North-East supported the joint ticket,” the source said.
Still, speculations persist that some power blocs are considering a more “influential” northern politician to replace Shettima in 2027.
Crisis Deepens Within APC
Analysts say the fracas signals deeper internal fractures that, if not addressed, could lead to defections or rebellion within the party.
“This is more than a misunderstanding. It’s a sign of serious internal divisions within the APC,” said political commentator James Abass. “The North-East sees Shettima as their political symbol, and any attempt to sideline him may backfire.”