“No Shettima, No APC”: 2027 Power Struggle Sparks Chaos in North-East Meeting
GOMBE — With the 2027 general election still two years away, a suspected plot to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on President Bola Tinubu’s ticket has ignited internal tensions within the All Progressives Congress (APC), culminating in a violent outburst during a party stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe on Sunday.
The North-East zonal meeting, initially convened to rally support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid, descended into chaos when party leaders failed to reaffirm Shettima’s place on the 2027 ticket — sparking outrage among his supporters.
A viral video from the event captured the moment the APC’s Zonal Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, was physically attacked, with an angry delegate striking him with a chair and another hurling a black plastic bucket at him. Salihu fled the stage as chants of “Shettima! Shettima!!” erupted from furious delegates.
Tensions flared when Salihu, during his speech, endorsed Tinubu as the sole candidate for 2027 but made no mention of the Vice President. His omission was interpreted as a deliberate slight, especially in Shettima’s home zone.
“This is a calculated attempt to sideline Shettima, and we will resist it with everything we have,” fumed one enraged Borno delegate.
Despite calls for calm from Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, the unrest worsened, forcing security personnel to intervene as chairs were flung and dignitaries exited hurriedly. Police were later forced to fire teargas outside the venue to disperse the angry crowd.
Before the chaos, governors of APC-controlled states in the North-East — Babagana Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), and Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe) — had voiced their endorsement of the Tinubu-Shettima joint ticket.
But a critical moment came when APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, while attempting to calm tensions, still avoided a clear commitment to Shettima. “We are proud of the North, proud of our Vice President,” Ganduje said, “It is one ticket, according to the Constitution.” His remarks, however, failed to pacify the aggrieved crowd.
In the aftermath, threats of defection surfaced. “If Shettima is dropped, I will personally lead my people to vote for Atiku,” warned an APC chieftain from Adamawa.
Observers say the uproar may signal deeper cracks in the ruling party, particularly in the North-East where Shettima commands strong loyalty. “This isn’t just noise — it’s a warning shot,” said eyewitness James Abass. “If the APC doesn’t resolve this quickly, defections or a serious counter-movement are very likely.”
Notably, while some figures remained neutral, others from the region firmly endorsed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket. These included Hon. Usman Kumo (House of Reps Chief Whip), Senator M.T. Monguno (Senate Chief Whip), and several National Working Committee members from the North-East.
Meanwhile, APC’s South-East Vice Chairman, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, dismissed the rumours as political distraction: “There’s a strong, respectful relationship between Tinubu and Shettima. These rumours are mere noise.”
Still, with emotions raw and divisions exposed, Sunday’s incident has thrown open a new chapter in the internal power games of the APC — and raised the stakes for 2027.
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