The Borno State Governor Prof Babagana Zulum is currently under serious political on allegations of masterminding protest against Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The attack comes from the North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum on Monday in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, accusing Zulum of orchestrating the protest and mobilizing thugs against the national chairman.
It demanded an apology from Prof. Babagana Zulum, for allegedly mobilizing thugs against the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, during the North-East stakeholders’ meeting held in Gombe on Sunday.
The forum alleged that Governor Zulum reportedly led a protest that disrupted the meeting after Ganduje and APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term without making reference to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Following the disruption, Ganduje and Salihu were escorted out of the venue under heavy security.
The Forum defended Ganduje, insisting that the responsibility for nominating a vice president rests solely with the president.
“It is the prerogative of the President to nominate his Vice President. No one can force President Bola Tinubu to choose who should be his running mate; that decision lies with him,” the statement read.
The Forum condemned the alleged attack on Ganduje, describing it as unwarranted.
“We condemn the action of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for allegedly mobilizing thugs to attack the National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje. He was simply carrying out his constitutionally mandated responsibilities,” the statement continued.
“It is not the national chairman’s duty to nominate or endorse a Vice President. He is expected to remain neutral, and that neutrality was evident at the stakeholders’ meeting.”
The Forum demanded a public apology from Zulum, stressing that his actions were unbecoming of a party leader.
“We, the North-Central APC Forum, are calling on the Borno State Governor to apologize to Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje without delay. As stakeholders committed to the party’s progress, we are disappointed by his conduct.”
The statement further argued that the North-East region, which performed below expectations in the 2023 presidential election, should not feel entitled to any special privileges within the party.
“The opposition won in the North-East in 2023, despite the Vice President hailing from the zone. Meanwhile, the North-Central delivered the third-highest number of votes to the APC, behind only the North-West and South-West,” the Forum noted.
