Tensions are rising within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the political future of Vice President Kashim Shettima as the party inches closer to the 2027 general elections following a violent confrontation at a North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe State on Sunday.
The source of the crisis: growing concerns that Vice President Kashim Shettima may be dropped as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 elections.
The meeting, convened at the International Conference Centre, Gombe, was initially intended to reaffirm support for President Tinubu’s second-term ambition. However, it descended into chaos after some party officials failed to acknowledge Vice President Shettima during the official endorsement of the President.
Trouble began when the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, concluded his address without mentioning Shettima as part of the proposed ticket.
He 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.”
Salihu’s omission sparked immediate outrage, with delegates erupting into chants of “Shettima! Shettima!! Shettima!!!” and one angry party supporter launching a chair at Salihu, as seen in a viral video. Another hurled a black plastic bucket in his direction.
Eyewitnesses reported that the hall erupted into a free-for-all, with chairs flying across the venue, forcing security operatives to step in. Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, made efforts to calm the crowd but failed to contain the unrest.
One furious Borno delegate expressed deep resentment, saying, “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.”
Notably, the governors of Yobe, Borno, and Gombe — Mai Mala Buni, Babagana Zulum, and Muhammadu Yahaya — had earlier declared support for the Tinubu-Shettima joint ticket in their individual 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, efforts to calm tensions were further undermined when APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, also avoided a clear endorsement of Shettima during his remarks. He instead emphasized party unity and 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.
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.”
Despite these remarks, tensions escalated, with chants of “No Shettima, no APC in the North-East” filling the venue. Some delegates even threatened to switch allegiance to opposition figure Atiku Abubakar if Shettima is dropped.
“If Shettima is dropped, I will personally lead my people to vote for Atiku,” a visibly angry chieftain from Adamawa State said.
The event ended abruptly as dignitaries, including governors, ministers, senators, and lawmakers, exited the venue amid the uproar. Outside, police officers fired teargas to disperse the agitated crowd.
An eyewitness, James Abass, noted the incident as a potential sign of deeper fissures within the APC, “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 counter-movement if not urgently addressed.”
According to a source familiar with the meeting, there was disunity among some of the key figures.
“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 North East.
“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).”
Meanwhile, APC’s National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, dismissed the rumours of Shettima’s exclusion, calling it a mere 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.”
He added, “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.”
Nonetheless, internal party sources hinted at possible moves by influential party elements to replace Shettima with another prominent northern figure for political balancing in 2027.
In Borno, Usman Aliyu, Director-General of the State’s Great Green Wall, accused Salihu of undermining the Vice President, “what happened was during Mustapha’s speech, he only endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without endorsing Senator Kashim Shetima. 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.”
He continued, “Honestly, we are disappointed because we expect to have one voice.”
Aliyu added that a formal communiqué would soon be issued to affirm support for the Tinubu-Shettima 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.”
He expressed concern over Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s failure to explicitly endorse Shettima, “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 defended Ganduje’s consistent stance, “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.”
Meanwhile, in Sokoto, APC State Chairman Isa Acida declined to comment, but another senior party official disclosed, “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.”
As 2027 approaches, this development could foreshadow a major political realignment in Nigeria’s ruling party—one that may reshape alliances in the months ahead.
