A consultative meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-East, convened to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027, ended in chaos on Saturday after Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name was conspicuously left out of the endorsement declaration.
The high-level meeting, chaired by the APC National Vice Chairman for the North-East, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, was expected to be a show of regional solidarity behind the Tinubu-Shettima ticket. However, the omission sparked heated arguments and a breakdown of order, exposing deep-seated tensions within the party’s regional ranks.
Eyewitnesses reported shouting matches and walkouts as party loyalists and stakeholders from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba states expressed outrage over what they described as a deliberate slight against the Vice President, who hails from Borno State.
“This is unacceptable. How can we, in the North-East, endorse Tinubu without acknowledging our own son, the Vice President?” a visibly angry delegate from Borno queried, demanding an immediate correction.
Although the meeting was meant to project unity and support for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections, the incident has instead spotlighted growing unease within the party’s internal structures, especially regarding Shettima’s role and recognition in future political arrangements.
Local reactions indicate that grassroots support remains strong for both Tinubu and Shettima across the North-East. However, analysts suggest the incident may reflect a broader power struggle and unresolved grievances within the APC.
As of press time, neither the APC national leadership nor Vice President Shettima has issued an official response to the incident.
