Mustapha Salihu, national vice-chairman (north-east) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Vice-President Kashim Shettima aligns with the party’s constitution.
Salihu made the statement during an appearance on Channel TV’s Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye on Monday.
The APC stakeholders’ summit held on Sunday in Gombe became chaotic after several speakers backed Tinubu for the 2027 election but left out Shettima from the proposed ticket.
Salihu was one of the prominent party members who spoke at the event. His omission of Shettima’s name led to immediate backlash from attendees.
Angry delegates began shouting and disrupted proceedings, with some even issuing threats.
As tensions escalated, security personnel escorted Salihu out of the venue.
Responding to the incident, Salihu stated that “no party constitution allows a candidate to go into the primary with a running mate.”
He explained that the APC structure provides “only one ticket that is for the president”, and that it is the “prerogative” of the candidate to choose a running mate after winning the primary.
The APC official said, “In party politics, we have only one ticket for the executive [arms of government]: for the local government chairman, the governor and the president.”
He added, “No party constitution allows a candidate to go into the primary with a running mate. Only one ticket that is for the president. It is only after the president becomes a candidate that he will pick a running mate, which will be his prerogative.”
After Salihu’s removal from the event, Ali Bukar, the deputy national chairman, took the stage and publicly endorsed both Tinubu and Shettima for re-election in 2027.
