APC Rift Deepens: Ganduje, Salihu Endorse Tinubu, Omit VP Shettima

Tensions ran high at the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe State on Sunday after both the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the North-East National Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term without acknowledging Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The event, which drew attendance from ministers, governors, and lawmakers across the North-East, quickly descended into chaos following Salihu’s speech. While expressing support for Tinubu to run unopposed in the 2027 election, Salihu made no mention of Shettima, who hails from Borno State in the region. His omission sparked outrage from party delegates, some of whom shouted him down and threatened physical confrontation. Security operatives had to intervene and escort Salihu out of the venue.

In a bid to restore order, Deputy National Chairman Bukar Dalori stepped in and offered an endorsement of both Tinubu and Shettima for a second term. However, tensions flared again when Ganduje took the stage and, in a speech that lasted roughly ten minutes, also failed to mention Shettima. His omission further fueled discontent among delegates, prompting security personnel to once again intervene and escort him out.

The meeting, initially intended to showcase unity and strategic planning ahead of the next election cycle, ended abruptly amid the fallout from the controversial endorsements.