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A physical brawl disrupted Sunday's APC North-East zonal meeting in Gombe, exposing deep divisions over Vice President Kashim Shettima's potential retention as Tinubu's running mate in 2027. While party officials insist the "Tinubu-Shettima ticket remains sacrosanct," Vanguard investigations reveal three opposing camps have emerged among regional governors.
  • Fracas Trigger: APC National Vice Chairman (North-East) endorsed only Tinubu for 2027, omitting Shettima
  • Three Factions:
    • Pro-Shettima (led by Borno Gov Zulum)
    • Pro-Dogara (Christian northerners opposing the Muslim-Muslim ticket)
    • Pro-Yahaya (Muslims backing Gombe Gov as alternative)
  • Damage Control: Governors held a secret pre-meeting that failed to achieve consensus
  • Official Line: APC insists "no cause for alarm," calls fracas "minor disagreement"
The Gombe violence reveals the APC's fragile North-East unity and broader tensions around Nigeria's most controversial political marriage. While Shettima's allies frame opposition as "anti-party activity," critics cite his perceived low visibility and the Muslim-Muslim ticket's electoral toxicity.

The fracas mirrors 2022's primary chaos, suggesting unresolved wounds from Tinubu's succession battle. With Dogara (a Christian) and Yahaya (a Muslim) as alternatives, the VP slot becomes a proxy war over the North-East's political identity and 2027 electionability calculations. As one attendee noted: "When the lion and buffalo fight, the grass suffers" - here, the "grass" being APC's claim to national cohesion.

• Is Shettima being unfairly scapegoated for governance challenges?

Sources: Vanguard investigations, APC statements, and attendee accounts​