2027 Poll: APC Under Fire Over Tinubu’s Running Mate

The All Progressives Congress is split over a purported conspiracy to remove Vice President Kashim Shettima from the running mate list for President Bola Tinubu, even though the 2027 election is only two years away.

A meeting held by the APC North-East stakeholders in Gombe State on Sunday ended in a fracas as supporters of the Vice President attacked the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu.

An angry member was seen in a viral video hitting Salihu with a chair as he scampered away to escape the wrath of the party faithful. Another delegate also threw a black plastic bucket at him.

The gathering, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Gombe, was originally convened to reaffirm support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid.

However, the meeting spiralled into violence when some key party leaders failed to acknowledge Shettima as a part of the proposed 2027 joint ticket.

Trouble began shortly after the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Salihu, ended his address without mentioning Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate.

Salihu said, “We have no business not supporting this party with all the juicy appointments and responsibilities given to us by this government.

“I would want all members of the zonal executive committee to stand-up so that we will do the proper endorsement, because it is the zonal executive committee that holds the ticket.

“We want to reaffirm and also adopt the endorsement earlier done by the national working committee, that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is endorsed to be a sole candidate for the 2027 election.”

Following his failure to acknowledge the Vice President, the annoyed delegates began to chant “Shettima! Shettima!! Shettima!!!” in protest as an aggrieved supporter physically confronted Salihu on the stage.

Eyewitnesses said chairs were thrown across the hall as the confrontation turned violent, disrupting the event and forcing security personnel to intervene.

Efforts to pacify the delegates by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Bukar Dalori, failed.

“It’s an insult to the entire region that our own son, the Vice President, was not even mentioned. This is a calculated attempt to sideline Shettima, and we will resist it with everything we have,” fumed a Borno delegate.