What began as a political show of strength for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria’s North-East zone turned tense on Sunday after a controversial endorsement speech sparked protests at a stakeholders’ summit in Gombe State.
The high-profile gathering drew delegates from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states. Prominent party leaders, including Governors Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), lauded President Bola Tinubu’s administration and applauded his role in supporting the North’s eight-year presidency prior to his own rise to power.
In a unified front, the governors endorsed President Tinubu for a second term, urging northern support for his re-election bid in 2027 as a gesture of political reciprocity.
But the atmosphere shifted dramatically when APC North-East Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu, wrapped up his remarks by declaring Tinubu the sole candidate for 2027 — notably omitting Vice President Kashim Shettima in the process.
The omission sparked immediate backlash from sections of the crowd, who demanded recognition for the vice president, a native of Borno State and key political figure in the region.
Governor Zulum attempted to pacify the aggrieved delegates, but the unrest escalated. Security personnel were eventually deployed to restore calm inside the venue.
National APC Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, later took the stage and offered a more balanced message, praising both Tinubu and Shettima.
His remarks appeared to soothe tempers and allowed the summit to proceed without further incident.
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The controversy also rekindled memories of a similar scenario from a decade earlier.
Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) rejected the endorsement outright, cautioning that such political declarations may not guarantee electoral success.
He drew a parallel to 2015, when then-President Goodluck Jonathan secured backing from 22 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but still lost the presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.
The APC governors had earlier, on May 22, jointly endorsed Tinubu for 2027 — once again without mentioning Shettima — fueling growing concerns among northern loyalists over the vice president’s role and recognition in the party’s future plans.
With intra-party tensions now out in the open, questions loom over how the APC will navigate its path to 2027 while maintaining internal unity and balancing regional interests.