Amid growing speculation of internal cracks within the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in Nigeria’s Northeast, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Moka, has described the recent protest in Gombe as a “misunderstanding” rather than a sign of division.
Mr. Moka made these remarks during a Newsnight interview, addressing the uproar over the omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name during a rally endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a potential second term.
The protest, reportedly led by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, a strong ally of Shettima sparked public debate about the unity of the APC and the future of the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
“The situation that occurred in Gombe was an unfortunate misunderstanding of two related but different processes,” Moka said, distinguishing between the primary election, which only involves electing a flag bearer, and the general election, when the presidential candidate selects a running mate.
“What happened in Gombe was an endorsement of the president, which relates to the primary election,” he explained. “At that stage, only the president is on the ballot.”
Mr. Moka emphasised that any endorsement of an incumbent president implicitly includes the vice president.
“President Tinubu today has a sitting vice president, Kashim Shettima. Until a new flag bearer emerges, there is no cause to raise alarm,” he said, rejecting claims that the omission was a calculated snub.
When pressed about grievances from the Northeast, a region politically aligned with Shettima and accusations that the move was “a message,” Moka acknowledged concerns but insisted the party remains united.
“In politics, there are all kinds of concerns, some sensible, others due to misunderstanding,” he said. “But both the people who raised their voices and those they were directed at are members of our party. We must allow reason to prevail.”
Moka also dismissed any immediate consideration of dropping Shettima from the 2027 ticket or altering the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted in 2023.
“There is no official position or conversation within the APC about 2027 ticket arrangements,” he affirmed. “We are not there yet. We’re still dealing with internal party congresses before primaries.”
On whether the current conversations are a distraction from governance at a time of national insecurity and economic hardship, Moka noted:
“Critics will always say something. But problems will come — what matters is how a party handles them. We are not infallible, but we are equipped with systems to manage internal issues.”
He assured that the party is now working to educate its members and prevent a repeat of the confusion witnessed in Gombe.
“It’s regrettable, but we are taking steps to ensure better understanding of party processes,” he concluded.
With internal rumblings surfacing and 2027 still far off, the APC leadership is urging members and the public to focus on unity and governance for now.