2027: APC Northeast endorses Tinubu-Shettima ticket for re-election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders from Nigeria’s Northeast region have officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to retain the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This endorsement was part of the resolutions reached during the Northeast Consultative Forum meeting held in Gombe State on Tuesday.

The high-level gathering drew attendance from key party figures across the region, including serving governors, National Assembly members, and top APC leaders such as National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and former Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

The states in the Northeast are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.

The APC has three governors in the zone. These are: Babagana Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and host Governor Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe). All of them attended the meeting.

One of the resolutions said the ticket had been useful to the zone and any alteration might create division among leaders.

READ ALSO: (JUST IN) Benue killings : Tinubu issues directive to security chiefs, tells Gov Alia what to do

But a few leaders led by the National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Mustapha Salihu, made a fresh case for the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

It was not immediately clear if Ribadu was interested in being the Vice President or not.

A source at the meeting said the session was a stocktaking type, governors and leaders took a position on 2027.

The source said: “Most leaders, including governors and the National Assembly Caucus wanted continuity. We opted for the retention of Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

“We don’t want to underrate the coalition being put in place by some Northern leaders, including some dissenting Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) wing of APC, we felt it was better to avoid division.

“The truth is that we have got a better deal, more strategic appointments and projects under this ticket, why changing a winning team.”

Asked to be specific, the source gave insights into what happened at the zonal meeting.

“But Usman Kumo, Chief Whip of the House, representing Kumo Federal Constituency, from Gombe State endorsed the ticket on behalf of the Northeast House of Reps Caucus.

“Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the Senate from the Northeast while Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North), spoke on behalf of the other National Working Committee (NWC) members from the Northeast.

“Only Comrade Mustapha Salihu that spoke against the ticket while the four members of the NWC from the North-East all supported the joint ticket.

“Those NWC members, who supported the joint ticket were Dalori; Mohammad Ali Kumo (Deputy Financial Secretary, from Gombe State); Zainab Ibrahim (Deputy Women Leader, from Taraba State); and Abubakar Maikafi (National Auditor, from Bauchi State).”

There was disruption during the meeting over Mustapha’s dissenting position.

Senior party leaders and stakeholders from across the zone were also in attendance.

The Forum praised the President and the Vice President for what it’s members described as transformational leadership in the short time they have been in office, driven by the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Yahaya said: “The Northeast is fully behind the president and the vice president. Their leadership has brought renewed hope to this region.”

Zulum highlighted key achievements of the current administration over the past two years, particularly in sectors such as health, education, youth and women empowerment, revenue generation, and overall improvement in citizens’ welfare.

He emphasised that continuity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket in 2027 would sustain the ongoing progress and national unity.

Ganduje said: “We need unity more than ever. This region delivered over 1.2 million votes in 2023. In 2027, we expect three times that. But we must remain focused and disciplined as a party.

“This zone has produced the number two of this country, we are proud of this zone, we are proud of the north and we are proud of Nigeria as a nation.

“I have to tell you, we have a progressive president, the leader of our party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are proud of vice president Shettima, it is a one ticket according to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.”

The Forum promised to forward its resolution to the party’s Abuja National Headquarters.

(Nation)