The internal power dynamics within the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to shift as party insiders reveal growing unease over Vice President Kashim Shettima’s standing ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to sources who spoke with Punch, at the centre of the storm is an emerging perception that key political allies from Borno State, including Governor Babagana Zulum and Senator Ali Ndume, may be weakening Shettima’s grip on the vice-presidential slot.

We understand that Governor Zulum, a longtime loyalist and successor to Shettima, has openly criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, particularly on tax reforms and the federal response to insecurity in the North-East

At the height of the tax policy debate, Zulum dismissed the reforms as “Lagos-centric”, arguing they disproportionately benefited the South-West at the expense of the North.

He has also repeatedly faulted the Federal Government’s security strategy in Borno, once publicly slamming Information Minister Mohammed Idris for what he described as poor communication and a disconnect from the crisis on the ground.

But what sparked major party concern was Zulum’s vocal protest during the APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe on June 15, where the governor condemned the failure to mention Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate in the party’s 2027 endorsement.

The event spiralled into chaos when the party’s North-East Zonal Vice Chairman, Mustapha Salihu, declared support for Tinubu’s re-election without naming Shettima as his preferred vice-presidential candidate.

“We want to reaffirm and also adopt the endorsement earlier done by the National Working Committee, that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is endorsed to be a sole candidate for the 2027 election,” Salihu stated.

The omission prompted an angry backlash from Shettima’s supporters in the hall, who erupted in chants of “Shettima! Shettima!! Shettima!!!” while one delegate stormed the stage to confront Salihu.

Zulum, sources said, insisted on the VP’s inclusion in the ticket, demanding that both Tinubu and Shettima be jointly endorsed.