An alleged attempt to remove Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the elections has caused division in the All Progressives Congress, even though the 2027 election is two years away.
Supporters of the vice president attacked Mustapha Salihu, the party’s zonal vice chairman, during a meeting of APC North-East stakeholders in Gombe State on Sunday, resulting in a brawl.
As Salihu fled to avoid the fury of the party supporters, a delegate threw a black plastic bucket at him, and another member struck him with a chair in a video that went viral.
The gathering, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Gombe, was originally convened to reiterate support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
However, when Shettima was not included in the proposed 2027 joint ticket by some important party leaders, the meeting descended into violence.
Shortly after Salihu, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), concluded his speech without naming Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate, trouble broke out.
Salihu said, “We have no business not supporting this party with all the juicy appointments and responsibilities given to us by this government.
“I would want all members of the zonal executive committee to stand-up so that we will do the proper endorsement, because it is the zonal executive committee that holds the ticket.
“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.”
Following his failure to acknowledge the Vice President, the annoyed delegates began to chant “Shettima! Shettima!! Shettima!!!” in protest as an aggrieved supporter physically confronted Salihu on the stage.
As the altercation descended into violence, witnesses reported that chairs were flung across the hall, interrupting the event and necessitating the intervention of security personnel.
Efforts to pacify the delegates by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, failed.
“It’s an insult to the entire region that our own son, the Vice President, was not even mentioned. This is a calculated attempt to sideline Shettima, and we will resist it with everything we have,” fumed a Borno delegate.
Before the chaos, the governors of the three APC-controlled states in the North-East — Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and host Governor Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe) — had all endorsed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket for the 2027 poll in their separate speeches.
Governor Yahaya stated, “The North-East is fully behind the President and the Vice President. Their leadership has brought renewed hope to this region.”
However, despite efforts by party leaders to douse the tension, the situation worsened when APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, also avoided explicitly confirming Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate in his closing remarks.
Ganduje said, “We need unity more than ever. This region delivered over 1.2 million votes in 2023. In 2027, we expect three times that. But we must remain focused and disciplined as a party.”
He added, “This zone has produced the number two of this country, we are proud of this zone, we are proud of the North and we are proud of Nigeria as a nation.
“I have to tell you, we have a progressive President, the leader of our party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are proud of his deputy, his Vice President, it is one ticket according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
His comments did little to ease the delegates’ anger, many of whom began chanting, “No Shettima, no APC in the North-East.”
Some even threatened to shift allegiance to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, should the party proceed with dropping Shettima from the ticket.
“If Shettima is dropped, I will personally lead my people to vote for Atiku,” a visibly angry party chieftain from Adamawa State stated. “We won’t be taken for granted.”
Amid the chaos, a number of dignitaries, including senators, members of the House of Representatives, ministers, and serving and former governors, left the meeting, bringing it to an abrupt stop.
As emotions increased, the police used tear gas outside to scatter the rioting mob that had assembled at the venue.
An eyewitness, James Abass, stated that the incident could signal deeper fractures within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially in the North-East, where Shettima commands strong grassroots support.
“This is more than just a misunderstanding. It’s a sign of serious internal divisions within the ruling party that could trigger mass defections or the rise of a countermovement if not urgently addressed,” Abass stated.
A reliable source gave a brief of the zonal meeting.
“The Governor of Gombe was not in support of the joint ticket but could not summon the courage to openly oppose it as the host.
“But Hon. Usman Kumo, Chief Whip of the House and member representing Kumo Federal Constituency, from Gombe State endorsed the ticket on behalf of the North-East House of Reps Caucus.
“Senator M.T. Monguno (Chief Whip of the Senate, representing Borno North) endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the Senate from the North-East while Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North) spoke on behalf of the other National Working Committee members from the Northeast.
“It is pertinent to mention that it was only Comrade Mustapha Salihu that spoke against the ticket while the four members of the NWC from the North-East had all supported the joint ticket.
“Those NWC members, who supported the joint ticket are Dalori; Mohammad Kumo (Deputy Financial Secretary, Gombe State); Zainab Ibrahim (Deputy Women Leader, Taraba State); and Abubakar Maikafi (National Auditor, Bauchi State).”
The National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, had earlier dismissed growing speculations that Tinubu may sideline the Vice President, calling it a distraction.
“I’m hearing that for the first time. There’s a solid working relationship between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.
“Shettima is a key asset—intelligent, focused, and deeply involved in this administration. These rumours are likely just political noise meant to create division,” Arodiogbu stated last week.
He emphasised that the President and his deputy remained in agreement and had the full support of the party but said that it was common for such rumours to appear in the lead-up to an election cycle.
Also, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, offered a brief response when contacted, saying, “I am not aware, Sir.”
The rumours of the President dropping Shettima for 2027 emerged shortly after 22 APC governors, National Assembly leadership and party leaders endorsed Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate for the next election.
The endorsement was first moved by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and seconded by Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, during the APC National Summit held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.
Shortly after, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on behalf of the National Assembly, also endorsed the President for re-election, based on his performance.
The National Chairman of the APC, Ganduje, on behalf of the National Working Committee, affirmed the decision that Tinubu is the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election.
While the endorsement was met with jubilation in some quarters, it also triggered criticism from opposition parties and within APC.
Presidency and party officials refuted reports of a possible APC ticket shuffle in their remarks over the Gombe incident.
Dr. Arodiogbu, the national vice chairman of the APC (South-East), stated that the rumour that the president intended to drop Shettima in 2027 is completely untrue.
He stated, “That report is not a true picture of what is happening because we’ve had a discussion on that. I’m even here with the National Chairman as we speak. I have also called the National Vice Chairman North East, Comrade Mustafa, who is my very good friend and asked him that I heard that you have decided not to support the Vice President.
“He said ‘no, that is not the case.’ The case is that he made a speech endorsing the President and the outing was for endorsement of the President. There was no such provision in his speech.
“It should be known that the President and the Vice President are running on a joint ticket. So, I don’t think that is the case. But in politics, as you know, people are pre-emptive of what does not exist, especially when it affects their interest.
“But what we know till this moment is that the President has not given any sign, even by words or by action, that he is not comfortable in continuing with the Vice President.”
However, unconfirmed party sources said there were plans by power brokers to field a more powerful northern chieftain of the party as Tinubu’s running mate in 2027.
Delegates from Borno State, who were present at the stakeholders meeting, expressed their disappointment with Salihu for failing to include Shettima’s name in his speech at the parley.
Speaking in Maiduguri, a delegate, who is also the Director-General of the Borno State Great Green Wall, Usman Aliyu, alleged a hidden agenda, adding that party members would not accept the plot.
“What happened was during Mustapha’s speech, he only endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without endorsing Senator Kashim Shettima. This is a slap on our faces.
“A lot of people couldn’t resist that because he has not been faithful and fair to us, and we don’t know why he didn’t endorse Vice President Kashim Shettima.”
Expressing the resentment of other delegates, he said, “Honestly, we are disappointed because we expect to have one voice.”
According to him, a communiqué will be issued in which all the party members will affirm Tinubu and Shettima’s candidacy.
“So far, you have also seen it on television; Borno governor, our state APC chairman, and other stakeholders in the region have unanimously endorsed the Tinubu/Shettima Ticket.”
Nevertheless, he voiced his displeasure with Gombe Governor Inuwa’s silence, as he also serves as the Chairman of the APC North-East Governors Forum.
“The host governor, Inuwa Yahaya, didn’t openly endorse Kashim Shettima and Tinubu. There is also a problem from that side because we expected him, in his speech, to endorse them, but he didn’t. He only talked about the good administration of President Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda. So, you see, there is a kind of hidden agenda,” he reported.
He refuted a report that Ganduje, the national chairman of the APC, does not support the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, stating that he has consistently stated his intention.
“Ganduje has always said that Tinubu and Kashim Shettima are one ticket. He didn’t come out clearly today, though, but what he is saying is that you can’t separate the ticket.”
Also, the APC Sokoto State chairman, Isa Acida, declined to state the chapter’s position on the controversy.
But a top official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the party had not taken any position on the development.
“We haven’t taken any position on the development but let me assure you that we will work together with the national headquarters of our party as regards the choice of candidates for the 2027 general election,” he said.
