By Israel Adamu, Jos
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has demanded an apology from Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, for allegedly mobilizing thugs against the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, during the North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe on Sunday.
Governor Zulum reportedly led a protest that disrupted the meeting after Ganduje and APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term without making reference to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Following the disruption, Ganduje and Salihu were escorted out of the venue under heavy security.
Reacting to the development, the North-Central APC Forum, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, on Monday, accused Zulum of orchestrating the protest and mobilizing thugs against the national chairman.
The Forum defended Ganduje, insisting that the responsibility for nominating a vice president rests solely with the president.
“It is the prerogative of the President to nominate his Vice President. No one can force President Bola Tinubu to choose who should be his running mate; that decision lies with him,” the statement read.
The Forum condemned the alleged attack on Ganduje, describing it as unwarranted.
“We condemn the action of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for allegedly mobilizing thugs to attack the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje. He was simply carrying out his constitutionally mandated responsibilities,” the statement continued.
“It is not the national chairman’s duty to nominate or endorse a Vice President. He is expected to remain neutral, and that neutrality was evident at the stakeholders’ meeting.”
The Forum demanded a public apology from Zulum, stressing that his actions were unbecoming of a party leader.
“We, the North-Central APC Forum, are calling on the Borno State Governor to apologize to Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje without delay. As stakeholders committed to the party’s progress, we are disappointed by his conduct.”
The statement further argued that the North-East region, which performed below expectations in the 2023 presidential election, should not feel entitled to any special privileges within the party.
“The opposition won in the North-East in 2023, despite the Vice President hailing from the zone. Meanwhile, the North-Central delivered the third-highest number of votes to the APC, behind only the North-West and South-West,” the Forum noted.
A breakdown of the 2023 presidential results showed Tinubu polled:
South-West: 2,542,979 votes (58.4%)
North-West: 2,652,235 votes (41.0%)
North-Central: 1,760,993 votes (41.3%)
North-East: 933,176 votes (29.9%), trailing Atiku Abubakar’s 1,741,846 votes (55.9%)
In Borno State, Tinubu received 252,282 votes, while the PDP secured 190,921.
The Forum also stated that Shettima’s emergence as Tinubu’s running mate in 2023 was based on political strategy that may not apply in 2027.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket was a strategy to win the 2023 election. It may no longer be suitable in 2027 when new political realities emerge,” it said.
The group emphasized that decisions concerning the party’s presidential ticket should be based on broader party interests, not individual agendas.
“Mr. President knows what is best for the party, and we stand with any decision he makes. All members, regardless of status or ambition, should align with the President’s choices.”
Responding to fears that the incident may trigger a crisis within the APC, the Forum dismissed such concerns.
“What happened in Gombe was an isolated incident. The APC remains a strong and united institution under the capable leadership of President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.”
The Forum reaffirmed its endorsement of Tinubu as the sole APC candidate for the 2027 election and restated its vote of confidence in Ganduje’s leadership.
“With President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje at the helm, the APC is in safe hands. We urge members to avoid actions that could cause confusion or distract from the important work ahead,” the statement concluded.
It also pledged to deliver six million votes for Tinubu from the North-Central zone in the next general election.
