APC Vice Chairman Reveals Why Tinubu Was Endorsed Without Shettima For 2027 Election

Mustapha Salihu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman for the North-East, has explained why he endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election without mentioning Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The APC Vice Chairman’s comments come in response to growing talk of internal tension within the ruling party.

The situation came to a head at the APC North-East summit held on Sunday in Gombe, where Salihu’s endorsement of Tinubu sparked protests from party members who questioned why Shettima was left out.

Despite efforts by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to calm the crowd, the tension only eased after APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje stepped in and praised both Tinubu and Shettima in separate remarks.

Speaking on “Politics Today”, a programme on Channels Television, Salihu clarified that his omission of Shettima’s name wasn’t personal.

According to him, his actions followed standard party procedures and the APC’s constitution.

He said, “In my full speech—the last paragraph before the endorsement—I eulogised Kashim Shettima, recognising him as our son and expressing that we stand by him as people of the North-East.

“I also appreciated the national security adviser as our son, whom we are proud of, and acknowledged all the ministers and parastatals given to North-East indigenes, thanking Asiwaju [Tinubu] for that, before calling for the endorsement of him as the sole presidential candidate.”

Salihu further explained that the party’s endorsement process during primaries only applies to presidential candidates, not their running mates.

He pointed out that vice presidential choices only come into play “after” a presidential candidate wins the primaries.

“In party politics, we have only one ticket at the primary stage—for the executive chairman, local government chairman, governors, and president. There is no provision in our constitution that allows for the endorsement of a joint ticket at that level.

“It is only after the primaries, when a candidate emerges, that he chooses a running mate. That choice remains the constitutional prerogative of the presidential candidate, even though consultations may occur,” he said.

He noted that other North-East governors—like Yobe’s Mai Mala Buni and Gombe’s Inuwa Yahaya—also endorsed Tinubu alone, while still showing respect to Shettima.

According to Salihu, this approach was consistent with the party’s norms and legal structure.

When asked about rumours of a possible rift between Tinubu and Shettima, Salihu dismissed the claims as baseless.

He blamed “conflict entrepreneurs” for stirring controversy to remain relevant, emphasizing that party matters are handled behind closed doors—not through the media or social platforms.

“The administration of a party is not run on social media, newspapers, or television. It’s handled internally,” he said.

“These kinds of rumours are inevitable in every administration—people will always try to suggest friction between the principal and the Vice. It’s what some insecure politicians thrive on. But if you’re secure in yourself, you shouldn’t be bothered by such noise.”

Salihu also pushed back against claims that people in the North-East were unhappy about Shettima’s omission.

He said the endorsement process was well thought out, involving discussions with party members across states like Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, and Yobe.

“I’m in Yola. I’ve engaged with members from Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, and Yobe. We all stayed up the night before the summit brainstorming,” he said.

“We did what the law permits—mentioning and praising our son. Other zones didn’t even have that obligation. We don’t have a vice-presidential ticket to offer; there’s only one ticket—president. Endorsing Tinubu with conditions would have been inappropriate.”

Salihu noted that trying to dictate who Tinubu should choose as his running mate would not only be inappropriate but also go against the spirit of party unity.

The endorsement followed a similar one on 22 May, when 22 APC governors adopted Bola Tinubu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election—also without mentioning Kashin Shettima.