The All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the North-east region will meet later today to formally endorse Vice President Kashim Shettima for reelection to a second term alongside President Bola Tinubu.

A top APC official in Borno told PREMIUM TIMES that the leaders will make the endorsement at their regional consultative forum meeting at the International Conference Centre, Gombe. Mai Mala Buni, the Yobe State governor and APC North-east zonal coordinating chairman, organised the meeting.

The leaders, including state governors, federal and state lawmakers, and party officials, started arriving in Gombe for the meeting on Saturday. The agenda includes discussing the party’s challenges and strategising on strengthening the party’s presence in the region ahead of the 2027 elections. Sources said party leaders consider the meeting a crucial platform for youth and women to contribute to the party’s development and future direction.

Party leaders told this newspaper that the primary interest of the meeting is to endorse Mr Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, to continue with President Tinubu on the APC ticket in 2027.

In 2023, Mr Tinubu faced strong criticism for picking the then-senator and fellow Muslim as his running mate. Two factors opposed the nomination.

Nigeria has two dominant religions, so balancing the presidential ticket between them has been a long-standing culture in the country. By convention, Mr Tinubu, a Muslim from the South-west, was expected to pick a northern Christian for the position.

Some prominent Christian politicians, including those from Mr Shettima’s region, revolted against his nomination. Some, including former House of Representatives Speaker Yakunu Dogara and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babaxhir Lawal, left the APC to campaign for Mr Tinubu’s opponents.

Also, Mr Shettima’s nomination did not go down well with some party leaders from the North-west and North-central regions who felt overlooked.

With the 2027 general election approaching, President Tinubu has been strategising for his reelection against the backdrop of efforts by his major opponents to form a coalition for the election. Observers believe Mr Tinubu’s economic policies, which have pushed Nigerians into more poverty, will affect his chances.

Mr Shettima’s contributions to Mr Tinubu’s victory in 2023 were also seen as very poor. Apart from Borno, the state he comes from, the ticket did not win any of the five remaining states in his region.

There is a speculation that the president is considering replacing Mr Shettima to boost his prospects in the 2027 election. However, neither the president nor any of his aides has suggested such.

Many APC stakeholders have already endorsed Mr Tinubu to run under the party unopposed. However, many of them do not mention Mr Shettima in their endorsements.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yayaha on Saturday declared his full support for Mr Tinubu’s re-election.

“I assure the president that for what he has done, is doing, and will do, Gombe people will follow him to the battlefield blindfolded,” the governor said.
“We will work for his success in 2027. By God’s grace, his re-election is assured.”

Some party officials fear that not mentioning Mr Shettima in such endorsements creates a vacuum and suggests a plot against him.

This situation has attracted the attention of Mr Shettima’s loyalists, including Borno Governor Babagana Zulum, who wants Mr Shettima to be retained on the ticket.

A party leader in Borno said the regional endorsements will enhance Mr Shettima’s position and the party’s prospects in the North-east.

“Governor Zulum is leading all the APC stakeholders to Gombe for the APC North East Consultative Forum Meeting. The primary aim of the meeting is to endorse Vice President Kashim Shettima for a second term,” the source, who asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES.

“We have been hearing from afar, but now we have confirmed that something is fishy. We will make sure he returns on the ticket. The endorsement by the North East APC Stakeholders will be a step ahead,” the source, who said he would also attend the meeting, added.