Despite the 2027 election being two years away, an alleged plot to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the poll has divided the All Progressives Congress.
A meeting held by the APC North-East stakeholders in Gombe State on Sunday ended in a fracas as supporters of the Vice President attacked the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu.
An angry member was seen in a viral video hitting Salihu with a chair as he scampered away to escape the wrath of the party faithful. Another delegate also threw a black plastic bucket at him.
The gathering, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Gombe, was originally convened to reaffirm support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
However, the meeting spiralled into violence when some key party leaders failed to acknowledge Shettima as a part of the proposed 2027 joint ticket.
Trouble began shortly after the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Salihu, ended his address without mentioning Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate.
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.
Eyewitnesses said chairs were thrown across the hall as the confrontation turned violent, disrupting the event and forcing security personnel to intervene.
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 told The PUNCH. “We won’t be taken for granted.”
The meeting ended abruptly as several dignitaries, including serving and former governors, ministers, senators, and House of Representatives members exited the venue amid the commotion.
Outside, the police fired teargas to disperse the agitated crowd that had gathered at the venue as tensions soared.
An eyewitness, James Abass, told The PUNCH 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 counter-movement if not urgently addressed,” Abass stated.
A reliable source gave The PUNCH 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 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).”
PUNCH
