A crisis is looming within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Sunday led a protest against the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term without the inclusion of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The controversy erupted during a North-East APC stakeholders' meeting held in Gombe, where APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and North-East National Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, publicly declared Tinubu as the party’s preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. However, their endorsement conspicuously omitted Shettima, a key political figure from the region.

The exclusion of the Vice President, who also hails from Borno State, immediately triggered outrage among party delegates. The atmosphere quickly turned hostile, prompting security operatives to escort Ganduje and Salihu out of the venue as tensions escalated and the meeting descended into chaos.

Reacting to the unfolding drama, public affairs commentator Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar described the incident as a potential turning point in the party’s stability.

> “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).

The protest underscores a growing rift within the party, particularly in the North-East zone, which has been a stronghold of support for the APC. Analysts note that the exclusion of Shettima—despite being the sitting Vice President and a regional powerbroker—could fuel intra-party divisions as the race toward 2027 intensifies.

Tensions had already been simmering since last month when Ganduje, during the APC National Summit in Abuja, declared Tinubu as the party’s sole presidential candidate for 2027—an announcement that reportedly unsettled some party members.

The latest incident comes just days after President Tinubu, during his Democracy Day address at the National Assembly, mocked the opposition for being "in disarray." However, the chaos at the APC’s own regional meeting may now raise similar questions about internal unity within the ruling party.

Political observers warn that failure to manage these cracks early could pose significant challenges for the APC’s cohesion and electoral prospects in the upcoming general elections.