VP Endorsement Row: Zulum Accused of Thug Attack on Ganduje by North-Central APC

At the North-East stakeholders conference in Gombe on Sunday, Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, was accused of organizing thugs against the party’s national chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje. The North-Central All Progressives Congress, or APC, Forum has called for Zulum to immediately apologize.

According to reports, when Ganduje and Comrade Mustapha Salihu, the APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), endorsed Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Shettima, Zulum led a protest that interrupted the meeting.

As demonstrations erupted at the meeting location, Ganduje and Salihu had to be removed out under strict security.

In response, the North-Central APC Forum criticized Zulum’s actions and accused him of inciting thugs against the APC national chairman in a statement released on Monday by its chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga.

The Forum also justified Ganduje’s conduct, pointing out that the Vice President, who serves as his running mate in the presidential race, may only be nominated by the President.

The president has the authority to choose who will be his vice president, according to the statement. President Bola Tinubu has the freedom to designate anybody he believes he can collaborate with as his vice president; no one will compel him to do so.

“We denounce the actions of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, who organized thugs to assault National Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.” Ganduje is innocent since he was carrying out his constitutionally mandated responsibilities as the national chairman of his party.

Nominating a vice president is not the national chairman’s job. Additionally, he has no obligation to support any candidate for vice president. He demonstrated his neutrality at the North-East stakeholders meeting, which is expected of him as a party official.

“The North-Central APC Forum is requesting an apology from the Governor of Borno State for inciting thugs to attack the National Chairman. It is imperative that Governor Babagana Zulum promptly apologize to Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.

“We, as stakeholders dedicated to the party’s growth and advancement, are dissatisfied with the governor of Borno State’s behavior.”

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The Forum also denounced Zulum’s conduct, stating that the North-East and the Borno governor have no right to any APC privileges because the region failed to provide Tinubu and the party with the anticipated outcomes in the 2023 election.

According to the statement, the North-Central, which supported President Tinubu and the APC in the most recent election, ought to be the one requesting preferential treatment instead of the North-East.

Even though the vice president is from the region, it is documented that the opposition prevailed in the North-East in 2023. After the South-West and North-West, the North-Central region provided the APC and Tinubu with the third-highest number of votes.

“Therefore, if any zone should feel entitled to special considerations, it is definitely not the North-East, which makes Governor Babagana Zulum’s action even more unfortunate,” the statement continued.

According to an analysis of the 2023 presidential election results, Tinubu received the most votes from the South-West. 58.4 percent of the South-West’s total votes, or 2,542, 979, went to the president.

Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) received 849,423 votes (19.5%) in the zone, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received 951,941 votes (22.6%).

In the Northwest, Kwankwaso received 1,268,250 votes (19.6%), Atiku received 2,197,824 votes (33.9%), and Tinubu received 2,652,235 votes (41.0%).

Tinubu received 1,760,993 votes (41.3%), Obi 1,415,557 votes (33.2%), and Atiku 1,025,178 votes (24.1%) in the North-Central.

Atiku, however, received the most votes in the Northeast (1,741,846; 55.9%), while Tinubu came in second with 933,176 (29.9%).

APC received 252,282 votes in Borno State, the home state of Zulum and Shettima, while PDP came in second with 190,921.

In response to Ganduje’s alleged failure to endorse the vice president, the North-Central APC Forum noted that Shettima’s selection as Tinubu’s running mate in 2023 was predicated on political calculations that might not hold true in the upcoming election.

The Forum expressly pointed out that the Muslim-Muslim APC ticket was chosen as a means of winning the election in 2023.

“When President Bola Tinubu runs for reelection in 2027, it’s probable that a Muslim-Muslim ticket won’t be the best choice anymore. Additionally, party leaders will consider the likely source of a greater number of votes. The interests of the party, not the self-serving interests of individuals, should guide the consideration of all these concerns.

“The President is aware of what is best for the party, and we will support his choice when it is made. We also expect all members of the party to support the President’s decision, regardless of their personal interests or position,” the statement read.

The Forum also denied rumors that the move marks the start of an APC crisis in response to the demonstrations that followed the Gombe North-East stakeholders conference.

“What transpired at the North-East stakeholders meeting in Gombe is a singular incident that won’t have an impact on the overall situation within our wonderful party.” Under the skillful direction of President Bola Tinubu and National Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC, a progressive party, is a powerful institution that won’t falter.

We implore all party members to maintain composure and concentrate on the goal at hand, which is to achieve a decisive win in the 2027 election and the off-cycle polls. We have no doubt that the party will continue to be strong and cohesive,” the statement added.

In the same spirit, the Forum reiterated its support for President Tinubu as the APC’s only contender in the 2027 election. It also reaffirmed the party’s vote of confidence in Ganduje as its national chairman.

“The APC is in safe hands with President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje in the saddle, and we urge all members to eschew any acts capable of causing confusion and distracting Mr. President and the national chairman from the excellent work they are doing in the party and the country at large,” the statement continued.

Similarly, the Forum reiterated its commitment to secure six million North-Central votes for Tinubu in 2027.