The North-East stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, at a meeting in Gombe, Gombe State, endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for re-election in 2027.
However, the endorsement was not unanimous as the APC national vice chairman (North-East), Mustapha Salihu, refused to endorse Shettima alongside the president; a development that led to a rowdy session during the meeting.
There had been questions over Shettima’s fate since party leaders endorsed Tinubu as sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election during the APC National Summit held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last month.
This had fuelled speculations that Tinubu might not run with replace Shettima in 2027.
Yesterday’s meeting in Gombe was attended by the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; the governors of Borno, Yobe and Gombe States, Babagana Zulum, Mai Mala Buni and Inuwa Yahaya, respectively; ministers and lawmakers from the North East.
Also in attendance were Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) and the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori.
In his welcome address, Governor Buni, who is the APC coordinating chairman for the North-East Consultative Forum, endorsed Tinubu for a second term in office, saying the president deserved re-election to enable him complete the “good works” of his administration.
“I would like to seize this opportunity to appreciate President Tinubu for providing leadership to the country amidst local and global challenges for Nigeria to move forward.
“It is gratifying that the government has recently taken additional measures to tackle insecurity in the North East. We would continue to support, cooperate and work with the federal government and the security agencies for a more sustainable peace and security in the North East zone.
“In the last two years, the President Tinubu administration engaged in daring policies and programmes to improve the lives of Nigerians. Such reforms come with attendant difficulties, challenges and rough rides but equally, the reforms come with life changing opportunities of a renewed hope for a better life.
“This requires tactical planning and time. To achieve this, one term of office may not be adequate. It may require two or more terms to effectively and efficiently execute such programmes that would stand the test of time and serve the people better.
“Therefore, in the spirit of natural justice, fair play and national interest, the forum should consider the architect of these policies and programmes, President Tinubu, with the right of first offer and endorse him for the 2027 Presidential election to accomplish the reform policies and programmes for the benefit of Nigerians,” Buni said.
Retain Shettima as running mate, Zulum tells president
In his remarks, Borno State Governor Zulum asked President Tinubu to retain Shettima as his running mate in 2027.
He lauded Tinubu for his administration’s achievements within the last two years in the zone and the country at large, saying retaining Shettima would help the president to achieve his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Zulum said: “I want to draw the attention of other people of the northern region that no region can stand alone without the support of the other region. Therefore, we must come together to support this administration for continuity. We must remember the support the South West, led by Tinubu, has given to the North, which allowed us to rule for eight years.
“Therefore, we should not hesitate to vote for Tinubu in 2027 for him to attain eight years in office as a mark of our respect, agreement and humanity. It is a rare opportunity to have the vice president from our region, it is a reflection of trust and confidence reposed on us by President Tinubu and indeed the entire nation.
“The role played by Kashim Shettima, his leadership, dedication and vast experience has been pivotal in advancing the priorities of this administration. The synergy between Tinubu and Shettima is one of strength, unity and shared vision which guarantees that indeed Nigeria is well represented.
“I urge us to unite in support of President Tinubu’s candidacy for 2027 for he is a leader who will continue to advance the cause of national unity, economic prosperity and security for all Nigerians. Together, we should ensure a bright future for our children and the unborn generation to come.
“We also urge him to retain our own Kashim Shettima as his running mate. On behalf of the government and good people of Borno State, I endorse the Tinubu/Kashim ticket for 2027. I appeal to this forum to also support this initiative.”
Zulum said though the economic policies of the administration, including the petrol subsidy removal, had some consequences, there would be a positive impact in the long-run.
He also called on the people of the North to unite and support the president to deliver on his mandate.
He’s a lone ranger – Dalori
But the National Deputy Chairman of the party, Ali Bukar Dalori, in an interview with the Daily Trust after the meeting, said that the party’s North-East caucus unanimously endorsed the Tinubu/Shettima joint ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dalori, who countered the vice chairman of the party from the North East, said Shettima enjoys full support from stakeholders across the zone.
He also dismissed reports suggesting a rift between President Bola Tinubu and the Vice President as unfounded.
He acknowledged that tensions arose during the meeting in Gombe when Salihu endorsed Tinubu without mentioning Shettima.
However, Dalori, who said that Salihu was a lone ranger, said that all relevant stakeholders including governors of the APC in the region, members of the national and state assemblies, as well as party chieftains, had before the commencement of the meeting agreed to endorse the candidature of Tinubu and Shettima.
“We met in Gombe on the eve of yesterday’s meeting and had a clearer understanding of what our communiqué will contain after the meeting.
“It was signed by the Zonal Coordinator and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, Governors Inuwa Yahya of Gombe and Babagana Zulum of Borno, former Senate President Ahmed Lawan, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Usman Bello Kumo.
“All APC National Working Committee members from the region individually and collectively voiced their support,” he said.
He added that the APC National Chairman Ganduje also “stood on a unified front.”
Dalori claimed that Salihu had initially endorsed the joint ticket but later attempted to retract his support, insisting the ticket should be solely for President Tinubu.
In response, Bukar said he moved a motion reaffirming the joint ticket at the meeting.
“Despite the chaos, all the people mentioned above spoke in favour of a joint ticket,” he said.
He further alleged that Salihu’s opposition stemmed from a broader bias against political figures from Borno State, suggesting he might be acting as a proxy for other political interests.
Another source said while Hon. Kumo endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the North-East House of Reps Caucus, Monguno endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the Senate members from the North-East.
He said other NWC members who supported the joint ticket were Mohammad Ali Kumo, who is the Deputy Financial Secretary, from Gombe State; Zainab Ibrahim who is the Deputy Women Leader, from Taraba State; and Abubakar Maikafi, who is the National Auditor, from Bauchi State,” he said.
Inside the rowdy session
Daily Trust reports that immediately after Salihu made his remarks, delegates at the forum demanded that he retract his statement and endorses Tinubu and Shettima for a joint ticket.
But when Salihu refused to include Shettima in the endorsement, the delegates began to hurl insults at him, with some threatening to attack him physically. He was escorted out of the meeting by security operatives.
To calm the situation, Dalori and Monguno mounted the podium to endorse Tinubu and Shettima for a second term.
In his speech, Ganduje said the APC could not play with the North-East owing to its important role in Nigeria’s politics.
He also said the country should be proud of having a “progressive politician like Bola Tinubu, as the leader of Nigeria at this critical moment.”
He said: “We are also proud of the Vice President because it is one ticket according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are here to examine the performance and achievements of our governors and pay our solidarity to them.
“We are here to give assurance that after producing 1.2 million votes in the 2023 elections, we are going to multiply the number by three during the 2027 elections.”
Ganduje told party leaders and members that the communique of the meeting would later be sent to the NWC as done by other geo-political zones.
But commenting on the issue, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Legal, Research and Compliance Matters) in the Office of the Vice President, Barrister Bashir Maidugu, said if President Tinubu is endorsed, Shettima is also endorsed.
He asked, “How many presidencies do we have? The presidency is one and the same. The vice president works for the president and he is the number one aide of the president.
“When the president succeeds, everyone working for him succeeds. Whatever the vice president does in his official capacity is as if done by the president because it is with his full and unequivocal support.
“The vice president and all the sides working with him are all aides of the president. So, when the president is endorsed by the party for a second term, it is a pass mark and a vote of confidence in the presidency which includes everyone working with the president.”
DAILY TRUST.
