Tensions Erupt in APC Over Alleged Plan to Drop VP Shettima in 2027
A major political rift has erupted within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, following allegations that Vice President Kashim Shettima may be dropped from President Bola Tinubu’s ticket for the 2027 elections.
The controversy reached a boiling point on Sunday during a North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe, where a fracas broke out over perceived attempts to sideline Shettima.
The meeting, held at the Gombe International Conference Centre, descended into chaos after the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, failed to mention the Vice President in his speech endorsing Tinubu for re-election. Angry delegates, chanting “Shettima! Shettima!!”, physically confronted Salihu, forcing him off the stage amid flying chairs and buckets.
The unrest was sparked by fears that Shettima may be excluded from the 2027 joint ticket, despite strong grassroots support for him in the North-East. Several party leaders from Borno and Adamawa states viewed Salihu’s omission as a deliberate move to marginalize the Vice President, prompting some to threaten defection to the opposition if the move proceeds.
Although governors from Yobe, Borno, and Gombe publicly endorsed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket during the meeting, the Gombe Governor’s silence on Shettima’s role raised further suspicion. His vague comments about Tinubu’s leadership, without mentioning the Vice President, led to accusations of a “hidden agenda” from his camp.
The APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, attempted to calm the storm but also stopped short of explicitly confirming Shettima’s place on the 2027 ticket.
While acknowledging the North-East’s contributions to the 2023 election, his ambiguous remarks did little to pacify the enraged crowd, some of whom demanded that Shettima’s name be reaffirmed or risk electoral backlash.
Presidency and party officials have since denied any plan to replace the Vice President. Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, APC’s National Vice Chairman (South-East), dismissed the rumours as politically motivated fabrications, asserting that Tinubu and Shettima remain united and constitutionally bound as one ticket.
However, a number of party sources claim that internal discussions are ongoing among power brokers to replace Shettima with a “stronger northern figure” for strategic electoral reasons. Though unconfirmed, such claims have fueled resentment in Borno, Shettima’s home state, where party loyalists insist he must remain on the ticket.
Delegates from Borno have demanded a clear public endorsement of Shettima, calling Salihu’s remarks a “slap in the face” and warning of potential political consequences. While a communiqué affirming support for both Tinubu and Shettima is being prepared, the fallout from the Gombe meeting highlights growing divisions within the party.
