…Why party members attacked northeast vice chairman, Comrade Salihu
Fresh facts have emerged from the Northeast Zonal Leaders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Gombe where the idea of endorsement of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the 2027 presidential election was broached and endorsed.
But the move for the joint presidential ticket was initially threatened by the subtle opposition by Comrade Mustapha Salihu, the APC’s National Vice Chairman (Northeast).
THE CONCLAVE has learnt that Salihu was a proxy of the Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, who is strongly believed to be opposed to the retention of Vice President Shettima on the presidential ticket in 2027.
The reason for his opposition has yet to be known.
A source close to the development said that the Governor of Gombe was not in support of the joint ticket but could not summon the courage to openly oppose it as the host.
Comrade Salihu was drafted to amplify the muted voice of Governor Yahaya at the meeting.
Salihu nevertheless earned the anger of the majority of attendees who protested his deliberate exclusion of VP Shettima in his endorsement speech.
Other sources at the meeting said that Hon.Usman Kumo, (Chief Whip of the House) member representing Kumo Federal Constituency from Gombe State endorsed the ticket on behalf of the North-East House of Reps Caucus.
Sen.M.T.Monguno (Chief Whip of the Senate, representing Borno North) endorsed the joint ticket on behalf of the Senate from the North-East while Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North) spoke on behalf of the other National Working Committee (NWC) members from the North East.
One of the sources said: “It is pertinent to mention that it was only Comrade Mustapha Salihu that spoke against the ticket while the four members of the NWC from the North-East had 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).”
