Shettima has snubbed Ganduje in public amidst VP ticket controversy rocking the APC.
NewsOnline Nigeriareports that Vice President Kashim Shettima conspicuously refused to shake hands with the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, during a reception organised in honour of Governor Umo Eno in Akwa Ibom on Saturday.
According to a video seen by NewsOnline Nigeria, Shettima was spotted exchanging handshakes with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governor Eno but extended his hand past Ganduje, who stood third in line, to greet other dignitaries behind him, leaving those present visibly stunned.
This gesture may not be unconnected to the recent political developments that have cast doubt on Shettima’s continued place on the 2027 joint ticket with President Bola Tinubu.
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The handshake incident follows a chaotic episode at the APC North East Stakeholders Consultative Meeting held in Gombe earlier in the week, where tensions erupted over the same issue.
At the meeting, while the party formally endorsed President Tinubu for a second term, there was no mention of Shettima continuing as Vice President on the ticket.
The situation escalated when Comrade Mustapha Salihu, APC’s National Vice Chairman (North East), failed to mention Shettima in his speech endorsing the party’s 2027 ticket. This omission sparked loud chants of “Shettima! Shettima!!” from delegates, signalling widespread dissatisfaction.
One Shettima loyalist stormed the stage and physically confronted Salihu, triggering a full-blown melee in the International Conference Centre, Gombe. Chairs were hurled across the hall as security struggled to contain the chaos.
The disorder lasted more than twenty minutes and resulted in many high-profile attendees, including former and current governors, ministers, lawmakers, and party stalwarts from the region, leaving the venue unceremoniously.
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