Tension erupted on Sunday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe State after the party’s National Vice Chairman for the region, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The gathering, which drew APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, and other key figures from the zone, also had National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje in attendance.
Controversy broke out when Salihu, while addressing the audience, declared support for Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate in the 2027 presidential election but omitted any reference to Shettima, a fellow North-Easterner from Borno State. The omission triggered a backlash from delegates, who began hurling insults and threatening violence. Security agents swiftly escorted Salihu out of the venue to avoid further unrest.
In a bid to douse the tension, Deputy National Chairman Bukar Dalori stepped in to endorse both Tinubu and Shettima for a joint second term.
The situation deteriorated again when Ganduje, during his own speech, also endorsed only Tinubu, leaving out Shettima. His remarks, which lasted around ten minutes, provoked renewed outrage and forced him to exit the venue under heavy security.
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