Why I Endorsed Tinubu Without Mentioning Shettima – APC North-East Vice Chairman Speaks After Gombe Summit Tension

Mustapha Salihu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman for the North-East, has defended his decision to publicly endorse President Bola Tinubu without mentioning Vice President Kashim Shettima—a move that triggered protests and briefly disrupted the party’s regional summit in Gombe on Sunday.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Salihu dismissed claims of disunity, saying his endorsement was guided by party convention and constitutional practice.

“No Omission, Just Procedure”

“In my full remarks, I eulogized Kashim Shettima as our son from the North-East and expressed pride in his achievements,” Salihu clarified. “But at the level of party primaries, endorsements focus solely on presidential aspirants—not joint tickets.”

He explained that under APC rules and Nigeria’s electoral framework, only the presidential candidate is endorsed during the pre-primary phase. The selection of a running mate, he said, comes later and rests solely with the presidential candidate.

“There is no provision in our constitution that allows for endorsing a joint ticket during primaries,” he emphasized.

Governors Followed Same Pattern

Salihu also noted that governors Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), who joined him in endorsing Tinubu, similarly refrained from naming Shettima in their declarations—despite acknowledging the vice president as “our own.”

“We did what the law allows—praised our son and endorsed the party’s leader. We have only one ticket at this point,” he said.

No Rift, Just Political Speculation

Addressing speculation about a rift between Tinubu and Shettima, Salihu blamed what he called “conflict entrepreneurs” for spreading misinformation.

“Party matters are not run on social media or TV. These are internal issues. Anyone trying to stir division is doing so for selfish reasons,” he said.

He added that he had been in contact with members across the North-East, including Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, and Gombe, and found no signs of discontent.

“Suggesting who should be the vice president now is putting the cart before the horse,” Salihu added.

Summit Turns Tense

Sunday’s APC North-East summit in Gombe became rowdy after Salihu’s Tinubu-only endorsement sparked protests among attendees who viewed Shettima’s exclusion as a slight.

Attempts by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to pacify the crowd were unsuccessful, prompting security agents to intervene. Calm was only restored after APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje addressed the gathering and praised both Tinubu and Shettima separately.

The endorsement mirrors an earlier move on May 22, when 22 APC governors backed Tinubu as the party’s sole 2027 candidate—without naming Shettima.

Borno South Senator Ali Ndume has since distanced himself from both endorsements, saying he “pitied Tinubu” and warned that such declarations often backfire.

No Coercion, Just Strategy

Salihu denied claims of coercion during the Gombe event and revealed that internal investigations were ongoing. He said he expects public apologies within 48 hours from those who misrepresented the summit’s intent.