Gov Zulum Leads Protest as APC Faces Crisis Over Tinubu’s Endorsement Without Shettima

A major internal crisis may be brewing within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, on Sunday led a protest against the party’s leadership for endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid without including Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The protest erupted during a North-East stakeholders meeting held in Gombe, where APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and the party’s National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, declared support for Tinubu’s second-term bid. Notably absent in their endorsement was any mention of Shettima, a key political figure from the region and former governor of Borno State.

The omission sparked outrage among delegates, prompting scenes of anger and confusion. Security personnel had to intervene to escort Ganduje and Salihu out of the venue as tensions escalated and the meeting descended into chaos.

Governor Zulum’s protest has triggered fresh concerns about unity within the APC, particularly in the North-East, where Shettima remains a popular political figure.

Reacting to the development, public affairs analyst Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar described the incident as a potential turning point for the ruling party. “The beginning of the APC’s downfall has just begun as Governor Zulum led a protest against the APC North-East meeting for failing to endorse Kashim Shettima ahead of 2027,” Abubakar posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Tensions have been building in the region following recent moves by party leaders to position Tinubu as the sole candidate for 2027. Last month, at the APC national summit in Abuja, Ganduje publicly declared Tinubu as the party’s flagbearer for the next general elections.

The latest development is expected to deepen rifts within the party, particularly in the North-East, where many had anticipated a joint Tinubu-Shettima ticket for the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu, in his Democracy Day speech last Thursday at the National Assembly, took a swipe at the opposition, mocking them for their internal divisions — even as similar cracks appear to be emerging within his own party.