Outrage in Maiduguri as APC Omits Shettima’s Image from Constitutional Amendment Banner

ByMoses Alamu1 week Ago1 Mins read139

Maiduguri was thrown into political controversy on Monday after the All Progressives Congress (APC) omitted the photograph of Vice-President Kashim Shettima from a banner displayed at the North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the amendment of the party’s constitution.

The omission sparked anger among party stakeholders and delegates, many of whom described it as a deliberate slight against the Vice-President, who hails from Borno State and remains one of the APC’s most prominent leaders from the North-East.

The banner, prepared for the zonal event, featured images of President Bola Tinubu, the five APC governors from the North-East zone and the party’s National Legal Adviser. However, Shettima’s photograph was conspicuously absent, despite his position as Nigeria’s number two citizen and a key figure in the party’s national leadership.

The development immediately drew criticism from attendees, culminating in a public protest by the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan. Addressing the gathering, Lawan expressed shock and displeasure over the omission, warning that such actions could deepen internal tensions within the ruling party.

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“Why would the Vice-President’s picture not be included in the banner? This was what created the fracas in Gombe, and it is repeating itself here in Borno,” Lawan said. “I do not know the motive of the organisers, but it is not right. How can the organisers exclude the picture of a sitting Vice-President, who is from Borno and the North-East zone?”

Lawan’s remarks were greeted with loud applause from party members, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction among delegates at the event. Observers also recalled that this was not the first time Shettima’s image had been excluded from an APC function. A similar incident reportedly occurred at a party event in Gombe State last year, where the omission triggered a fracas and forced the meeting to end abruptly.

The incident in Maiduguri has since generated debate within APC circles, with many calling on party leaders to address what they see as a recurring and potentially divisive issue that could undermine unity within the party.