If Shettima is dropped, we’ll vote Atiku,’ threatened a North-East chieftain, exposing APC’s deepening regional rift
GOMBE – A routine All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East stakeholders’ meeting devolved into pandemonium Sunday when delegates violently protested the perceived sidelining of Vice President Kashim Shettima from President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 ticket.
The unrest erupted at Gombe’s International Conference Centre after APC National Vice Chairman (North-East) Mustapha Salihu concluded his speech endorsing only Tinubu’s re-election bid, omitting Shettima. Delegates immediately chanted the VP’s name, with one hurling a plastic bucket at Salihu while another struck him with a chair in a viral video.
Despite earlier endorsements of the joint ticket by Governors Babagana Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), and host Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), tensions escalated when APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje ambiguously stated, “We have a progressive President… and we are proud of his deputy,” without explicitly confirming Shettima’s retention.
“It’s an insult to our region,” fumed a Borno delegate, alleging a plot to replace Shettima. “We’ll defect to Atiku if this stands.” Police fired teargas to disperse crowds as dignitaries fled the venue.
Presidency and party officials scrambled to contain fallout. APC South-East Vice Chairman Ijeoma Arodiogbu dismissed the omission as “political noise,” while Salihu later claimed his speech focused solely on Tinubu’s endorsement. However, Borno delegates accused Gombe Governor Yahaya of tacitly supporting Shettima’s removal by avoiding explicit endorsement.
The violence underscores mounting APC divisions ahead of 2027, particularly in Shettima’s North-East stronghold. Analysts warn the ruling party risks hemorrhaging support if the VP’s fate remains unresolved.