NIGERIA: APC North-East Meeting For Shettima’s Endorsement Ends In Chaos

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

What was meant to be a strategic political gathering of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East leaders to endorse Vice President Kashim Shettima for a second term alongside President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, ended in violence.

A video shared by AIT from the venue showed party members throwing chairs and exchanging blows during the fracas.

The exact cause of the chaos could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report.

The meeting, held at the International Conference Centre in Gombe, was convened by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, who serves as the APC North-East Zonal Coordinating Chairman.

It was intended to solidify support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Leaders from the region, including governors, federal and state lawmakers, and top party officials, had gathered to discuss party challenges and to strategise for the future.

A major agenda item was the formal endorsement of Vice President Shettima, a former governor of Borno State.

In 2023, Tinubu’s decision to run with Shettima drew widespread criticism due to religious imbalance, as both are Muslims.

The move triggered defections and opposition from Northern Christian politicians, some of whom backed rival presidential candidates.

Observers noted that Tinubu’s political capital has weakened due to unpopular economic reforms, raising questions about the viability of the current ticket.

Shettima’s poor electoral performance in the North-East during the last election has added to the uncertainty.

Howevrr, despite this, key figures in the region have thrown their weight behind Shettima.

Borno Governor Babagana Zulum is reportedly spearheading efforts to ensure his continued inclusion on the ticket.

“We have confirmed that something is fishy. The endorsement by the North-East APC Stakeholders will be a step ahead,” a party leader from Borno said.

While some APC leaders like Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya have openly pledged support for Tinubu’s re-election, they have not mentioned Shettima in their declarations, fueling rumours of a silent power struggle within the party.

“The people of Gombe will follow the president to the battlefield blindfolded. His re-election is assured,” Governor Yahaya said.

With tensions clearly rising in the party’s North-East bloc, Sunday’s chaos may be a sign of deeper divisions that the APC leadership will have to resolve ahead of 2027.