Tensions are mounting within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following a dramatic protest led by Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, over the exclusion of Vice President Kashim Shettima in a recent presidential endorsement.
The controversy erupted on Sunday during the APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe State, where National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and North-East Zonal Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 — without mention of his deputy, Shettima, who hails from Borno State.
Governor Zulum, visibly displeased, staged a walkout with delegates from Borno and other stakeholders, effectively leading a protest that disrupted the meeting. The incident spiraled into chaos, prompting security operatives to escort Ganduje and Salihu out of the venue to ensure their safety amidst escalating tensions.
Political observers have warned that the fallout could signal deeper divisions within the party. Reacting to the development, public affairs analyst Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar described the event as “the beginning of APC’s downfall,” pointing to growing dissatisfaction over what some perceive as an intentional sidelining of Shettima’s role in the party’s future.
“The beginning of APC’s downfall has just begun as Governor Zulum led a protest against the APC North-East meeting for failing to endorse Kashim Shettima ahead of 2027,” Abubakar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The protest adds to the anxiety already brewing in the North-East, where many stakeholders had expected a joint endorsement of Tinubu and Shettima to reflect the duo’s shared mandate and regional balance.
This latest development follows a similar declaration by Ganduje during the APC national summit in Abuja last month, where he unilaterally named Tinubu as the party’s presumptive presidential flag bearer for 2027 — again, without clarifying Shettima’s place on the ticket.
Observers now warn that unless the APC reconciles its internal rifts and addresses regional concerns, the unity of the party ahead of 2027 may be in jeopardy.
Notably, in his Democracy Day address at the National Assembly last week, President Tinubu had taken a swipe at opposition parties, mocking their internal crises. Ironically, it appears that the APC may now be facing similar cracks within its own ranks.
