The All Progressives Congress (APC) Kano State spokesperson, Ahmad Aruwa, has dismissed claims that the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was protested against for failing to mention Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name during the recent Northeast Zonal meeting in Gombe.
Aruwa said the omission was neither a crime nor unusual, pointing out that similar instances occurred at the APC national convention, as well as during endorsements by the Senate and House of Representatives, where Shettima’s name was not mentioned without drawing backlash.
A video that went viral on Sunday showed security personnel managing a crowd as Ganduje was leaving the event. Some interpreted the scene as a protest by APC members upset that Shettima, an indigene of the region, was not acknowledged during the endorsement of President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
In an interview with DAILY POST, Aruwa insisted the incident was misinterpreted, adding:
“There was no booing or protest against Ganduje. As a senior party official, he was simply escorted to his car, that’s all.”;
He also dismissed suggestions of any plan to drop Shettima from the 2027 ticket.
“What the Party Chairman said is exactly what was said at the APC national convention. There was no mention of Kashim Shettima’s name. The Senate reaffirmed its support for Tinubu’s candidacy without mentioning Kashim. Likewise, the House of Representatives did the same without mentioning Kashim. So why didn’t anyone protest at that time?”;
“When the time comes, both Tinubu and Shettima will be confirmed. There has been no official statement suggesting Shettima will be replaced. All of this noise is being stirred up by the Kwankwasiyya movement in Kano because they see that Kashim is engaging with them politically.”;
The APC has urged members to remain focused on party unity and progress, maintaining that there was nothing out of order during the Gombe meeting.
