Fresh details have emerged on the internal crisis that disrupted the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East Consultative Meeting held in Gombe State last Sunday. Sources within the party reveal growing disagreements among key stakeholders over Vice President Kashim Shettima’s continued role in the Tinubu 2027 re-election ticket
According to insiders from the North-East, longstanding mistrust among regional APC governors revolves around who should be Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
While President Bola Tinubu has not publicly declared his intention, rumors suggest he may replace Shettima.
Some critics within the party believe the Muslim-Muslim ticket is no longer politically effective. Others consider Shettima a passive figure in national discourse, calling for a more vocal and politically astute running mate.
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Among those advocating for Shettima’s replacement are supporters of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and those favoring Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, both seen as potential running mates.
Although these discussions were previously behind closed doors, the Gombe meeting brought them into the open.
Sources said that, prior to the event, a series of private meetings were held by governors from Yobe, Gombe, and Borno states in a bid to manage the fallout and avoid public confrontation.
The aim was to present a united front in support of the Tinubu-Shettima 2027 ticket. Despite these efforts, consensus was elusive. A former governor present at the meeting disclosed: Only Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno was firmly in support of Shettima.
The governors of Yobe and Gombe stayed neutral. Several meetings failed to yield a common position.
Further tension arose during the Zonal Consultative Meeting when Mustapha Salihu, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), endorsed President Tinubu for 2027 without mentioning Vice President Shettima. His omission sparked outrage, with some members hurling objects at him.
Reacting, Deputy National Chairman (North) of APC, Ali Bukar Dalori, called for calm, stating: There’s no cause for alarm. Whether the omission was intentional or not, Salihu is entitled to his political opinion. The party remains united behind the Tinubu Shettima ticket.
In response to the incident, Oliver Okpala, Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, condemned the attack on the party leadership. He stressed the importance of political decorum, saying:
The APC Chairman is a father figure who has worked hard to unify the party. His relationship with both the President and Vice President is solid. The presidency is a joint ticket, and the North-East must value its current position.
Ganduje, according to Okpala, reminded party members that Vice President Shettima represents the North-East and that any suggestion of removing him undermines the zone’s current relevance in national politics.
Despite visible cracks, top APC officials insist that the Tinubu-Shettima joint ticket remains non-negotiable. The endorsement by Salihu, though controversial, is not seen as reflective of the party’s official position.
