By Emmanuel Kwada
In a fiery statement issued on June 16, 2025, Dr. Umar Duhu, a prominent APC leader and stakeholder in the North-East, has fiercely condemned what he described as a “shocking and unacceptable” proposal to relocate the Office of the Vice President from the North-East to another geopolitical zone.
The controversy erupted during the APC North-East consultative meeting held in Gombe on June 15, 2025, sparking outrage among regional leaders and party faithful.
Dr. Duhu labeled the proposition “absurd” and a “blatant disregard for the interests of the North-East,” accusing its proponents of betraying the trust and loyalty of the region’s people and Vice President Kashim Shettima, a key figure in the APC’s northern stronghold.
“It is utterly inconceivable that any politician, regardless of their rank, would suggest such a divisive and destructive idea,” Duhu declared, calling the move a “treacherous plan” orchestrated by conspirators with ulterior motives.
It is utterly inconceivable that any politician, regardless of their rank, would suggest such a divisive and destructive idea
The Gombe meeting, intended to foster unity and strategize for the 2027 elections, was marred by tensions when remarks attributed to some party leaders appeared to undermine Vice President Shettima’s position.
Dr. Duhu clarified that no endorsement for a second term was conclusively made for any candidate, stating, “If anyone doubts that Senator Kashim Shettima was endorsed for a second term in Gombe yesterday, they should equally accept that no one else was endorsed either.”
Emphasizing the North-East’s pivotal role in securing votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, Duhu asserted that retaining Shettima on the APC ticket is the “only guarantee” for Tinubu’s electoral success in the region and other northern states.
He expressed confidence that President Tinubu was unaware of the alleged plot, describing it as a “self-serving and destructive agenda” driven by selfish interests aimed at frustrating the administration.
“We will never allow external forces to dictate our fate or determine our destiny,” Duhu vowed, urging the people of the North-East, regardless of faith, age, or background, to unite and reject the proposal.
We will never allow external forces to dictate our fate or determine our destiny
He accused the perpetrators of employing “deceitful tactics” to undermine the region’s collective interests and warned that the will of the people would prevail in 2027, guided by “God’s divine plan” rather than “empty rhetoric and hopeless desperation.”
The controversy has heightened political tensions in the North-East, a critical region for the APC’s national ambitions. Vice President Shettima, a former Borno State governor, has been a central figure in rallying northern support for the Tinubu administration.
The Gombe incident follows reports of a disrupted stakeholders’ meeting where APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, faced backlash for omitting Shettima in remarks endorsing Tinubu’s second term.
If anyone doubts that Senator Kashim Shettima was endorsed for a second term in Gombe yesterday, they should equally accept that no one else was endorsed either
As the APC grapples with internal dynamics, Dr. Duhu’s outspoken defense of Shettima and the North-East’s political relevance has resonated with many in the region. Party leaders are now under pressure to address the fallout and restore unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
