By Abdullahi Sani Yola
With 2027 on the horizon, political temperatures are already rising in Nigeria’s North-East — and this time, the storm is coming from inside the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Key APC stakeholders across the region are warning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that if he wants to retain the North-East in the next election, he must drop Vice President Kashim Shettima from the ticket.
Their message is blunt: the Vice President has become a symbol of exclusion, not unity.
“He’s turned the entire North-East into a Borno-only project,” said Hajia Hadiza Aliyu, a prominent APC voice in Bauchi. “This is not what we voted for.”
Party chieftains from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe say Shettima has marginalized five out of six North-East states — concentrating federal appointments, opportunities, and influence solely in his native Borno State.
“We fought hard for APC in 2023, but look around — nothing came back to us,” said Alhaji Usman Gieri from Adamawa. “No appointments, no recognition. It’s Borno or nothing.”
From Gombe, Mr. Garba Tijani minced no words:
“He’s building an empire in Borno and treating the rest of us as second-class citizens.”
Tensions exploded when Vice President Shettima reportedly overruled the appointment of Dr. Umar Abubakar Hashidu (Gombe) as Managing Director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) — bringing back Borno’s Mohammed Alkali Goni, whose tenure had already ended.
Critics say the move was not only illegal — it violated the rotational clause in the NEDC Act — but also showcased Shettima’s “Borno-first” approach.
“That was the final straw,” said Aminu Mustapha in Adamawa. “He hijacked the NEDC and handed it back to his inner circle.”
Across the region, APC loyalists are growing restless. Some are defecting quietly, others voicing their frustration loudly.
From Taraba, Hon. Jonathan Albert revealed:
“Party members are leaving daily. What’s the point of staying loyal when there’s no reward?”
In Michika, Adamawa, Mr. Michael Zira added:
“Shettima is out of touch. His own state is the only one singing his praises — the rest of us have moved on.”
The discontent came to a head during a recent APC Zonal Meeting in Gombe, where only Borno State delegates endorsed Shettima for 2027. The rest of the region stayed silent — a powerful political signal.
“It was deafening,” said Bakura Idris Zana from Yobe. “The silence from five states spoke volumes. He’s lost the base.”
This rebellion places President Tinubu in a political bind. While Shettima remains loyal, he is no longer seen as an asset across his own geopolitical zone.
The North-East bloc helped power the APC to victory in 2023. In 2027, that support is now tied to one clear demand: swap Shettima or risk it all.