What was billed as a strategic political gathering turned into a near free-for-all on Sunday, as a high-stakes All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe State descended into violence over a glaring omission—the name of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The meeting, which convened top APC brass from the North-East, including governors, ministers, federal lawmakers, and influential party chieftains, was initially organized to rally regional support behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anticipated bid for a second term in 2027. But the event spiraled into chaos when both the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, and the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, conspicuously failed to acknowledge Shettima during their respective endorsements of Tinubu.
Sources at the venue told Daily Trust that tensions began to simmer when Salihu, during his opening remarks, declared full support for Tinubu as the APC’s unopposed candidate in 2027. However, his failure to mention Shettima—an illustrious son of the North-East and a political titan in Borno State—sparked immediate outrage among delegates.
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The atmosphere quickly turned toxic, with some aggrieved attendees shouting down Salihu and threatening him with physical violence. Security operatives had to intervene swiftly, escorting the embattled party official out of the venue under heavy guard.
In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Bukar Dalori, stepped up and issued a more inclusive endorsement, pledging support for a Tinubu-Shettima joint ticket in 2027. But the damage had already been done.
The situation worsened further when Dr. Ganduje took the stage. Despite a lengthy address that lasted nearly 10 minutes, the APC National Chairman also failed to acknowledge Vice President Shettima. This second snub further enraged party loyalists, who began shouting, banging tables, and accusing party leaders of orchestrating a calculated political slight against the region’s most senior figure in the federal government.
Pandemonium erupted. A viral video published by AIT Online shows some delegates hurling chairs, with others engaging in scuffles. The meeting, which had started with lofty aims of party unity and strategic alignment, ended in utter disarray. Ganduje, like Salihu, was hurriedly escorted out of the venue under tight security.
Analysts say the violent fallout is a symptom of deepening rifts within the APC’s North-East bloc—one that could threaten the party’s stability if not urgently addressed. With 2027 still years away, the Shettima snub has already ignited a political firestorm that the party may struggle to contain.
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