APC North-East Stakeholders’ Meeting Erupts in Chaos Over Shettima’s Exclusion from 2027 Endorsement

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East chapter in Gombe State ended in chaos when National Vice Chairman (North-East) Comrade Mustapha Salihu endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 without mentioning Vice President Kashim Shettima, prompting outrage among delegates. The omission, echoed by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje in a 10-minute speech, led to a rowdy session, with delegates shouting, hurling chairs, and threatening violence, as captured in AIT footage. Security operatives escorted Salihu and Ganduje from the venue, and the meeting was abruptly terminated. Despite efforts by Deputy National Chairman (North) Bukar Dalori to calm tensions by endorsing both Tinubu and Shettima, the unrest persisted, highlighting deep divisions within the party.

Key Developments and Endorsements:

• Initial Endorsement: Salihu’s speech, declaring Tinubu as the APC’s unopposed candidate for 2027, omitted Shettima, triggering immediate backlash. Delegates chanted “Shettima! Shettima!” and some vowed to support Atiku Abubakar if Shettima is dropped, per Independent.ng.
• Ganduje’s Omission: Ganduje’s endorsement of Tinubu alone, without reference to Shettima, reignited tensions, forcing his exit under security protection. This deepened perceptions of a deliberate strategy to sideline Shettima, a Borno native and key North-East figure.
• Counter-Endorsements: Dalori, alongside National Working Committee (NWC) members Mohammad Ali Kumo (Gombe), Zainab Ibrahim (Taraba), and Abubakar Maikafi (Bauchi), endorsed the joint Tinubu/Shettima ticket. Senate Chief Whip M.T. Monguno (Borno North) and House Chief Whip Usman Kumo (Gombe) also backed the duo, representing their respective caucuses.
• Governors’ Stance: Governors Babagana Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) endorsed the joint ticket, with Zulum accusing Yahaya of “hypocrisy” for not openly supporting Shettima, per National Accord. Yahaya later called for party unity but failed to quell the unrest.
• Regional Context: The North-East, contributing 1.2 million votes in 2023 (INEC), is critical for APC’s 2027 strategy. Shettima’s exclusion fueled speculation of a plan to replace him with a Christian from the North-East or a Muslim from the North-West to balance religious and regional dynamics, per Vanguard and Daily Trust.

Speculation about Shettima’s fate intensified after APC’s National Summit in May 2025, where Tinubu was endorsed without mention of Shettima, and re-election posters excluded his image, per Platform Times. North-West and North-Central chapters previously endorsed Tinubu alone, raising concerns in the North-East, Shettima’s home zone. A North-Central Renaissance Movement’s April 2025 push for a regional vice-presidential slot was rebuffed by the North-Central APC Forum, which endorsed the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, citing Shettima’s contributions and Tinubu’s infrastructure projects in their zone.

On May 29, 2025, Salihu himself had passed a vote of confidence in Shettima at an event in Abuja, praising Tinubu’s appointments of Shettima and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and dismissing rumors of a rift as “social media gossip.” His reversal at the Gombe meeting, coupled with Ganduje’s omission, led to accusations of a “deliberate political strategy,” with some delegates suspecting Ribadu’s faction’s involvement, per X posts. Governor Zulum’s defense of Shettima, highlighting his “pivotal” role in the Renewed Hope Agenda, and Buni’s praise for regional gains in security and infrastructure, underscored the North-East’s electoral weight and loyalty to Shettima.

The chaos exposed APC’s internal rifts, with X users like @peter_ameh predicting the party’s “implosion” and @chi_chi_maria noting Shettima’s exclusion signals his absence from APC’s 2027 vision. @Iamumarfaisal lauded Shettima’s role in Tinubu’s 2023 victory, calling the omission a “betrayal.” The crisis could trigger realignments, with some delegates threatening to back Atiku Abubakar, a North-East native, if Shettima is sidelined, per Independent.ng. Analysts suggest Tinubu’s camp may be testing regional reactions to a new running mate, possibly to counter opposition strength in the North-West (7.3 million votes in 2023, INEC) or appease Christian voters, though no legal obligation binds Tinubu to retain Shettima, per Daily Trust.

The North-East’s endorsement of the joint ticket by key figures like Zulum, Dalori, and parliamentary leaders contrasts with Salihu’s stance, suggesting his position may be isolated. However, the incident has deepened mistrust, with potential to weaken APC’s 2027 prospects in a region critical to its 2023 win (Tinubu/Shettima secured 54% of North-East votes, INEC). The presidency’s April 2025 denial of a rift, via Stanley Nkwocha, and Zulum’s dismissal of tensions as “unfounded” indicate efforts to project unity, but the Gombe fallout underscores unresolved tensions.