A political group, Tinubu Next Level, has accused Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum of instigating the disruption of the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East zonal meeting held on Sunday, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was endorsed for a second term without Vice President Kashim Shettima included in the declaration.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the group’s president, Alhaji Ango Zubair, the group described the events at the meeting as “an embarrassment” to both the president and the ruling party. It accused Governor Zulum of prioritizing loyalty to Vice President Shettima over respect for the President’s prerogatives in choosing a running mate.

“We wish to register our utter displeasure with the actions of Governor Babagana Zulum in insisting that the zonal endorsement accorded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu be extended to Vice President Kashim Shettima,” the statement read. “We find such a stance rude and orchestrated to embarrass the President and every member of the APC in Nigeria and abroad.”

According to the group, the endorsement of a presidential candidate is within the rights of any party organ or zone, while the choice of a running mate is a constitutional responsibility of the presidential candidate.

“It is within our rights to endorse the President for re-election, just as it is the right of the President to choose his running mate. Asking the zone to compel the President into retaining Shettima is inconsistent with democratic practice in a presidential system,” the group stated.

They argued that Vice President Shettima is not guaranteed a return to the ticket, citing historical precedent where previous vice presidents were not retained during re-election campaigns.

“What Governor Zulum and his supporters have shown is that their loyalty is more to Shettima than to the President. That is where we fundamentally disagree,” the statement added.

The group went further to suggest that President Tinubu has the constitutional means to remove the Vice President if he chooses, but has opted for political restraint.

“If the President wanted, he could have initiated impeachment proceedings. That he hasn’t is a demonstration of leadership. Unfortunately, the Zulum faction has not reciprocated this maturity,” the group noted.

Sunday’s meeting had endorsed President Tinubu for re-election in 2027 but excluded Vice President Shettima from the declaration, sparking objections from Shettima’s supporters, led by Governor Zulum. The disagreement has ignited speculation over a possible change in the APC presidential ticket and exposed divisions within the party ahead of the next general election.