Anger and discontent erupted in Maiduguri on Monday after the All Progressives Congress (APC) omitted the photograph of Vice-President Kashim Shettima from a banner displayed at the party’s North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the proposed amendment of its constitution.
The exclusion sparked strong reactions from party delegates and stakeholders, with the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, publicly condemning what he described as an embarrassing and disrespectful oversight.
The banner showcased images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the five APC governors from the North-East zone, and the party’s National Legal Adviser. However, Shettima’s image was noticeably absent, despite his position as Nigeria’s Vice-President and his status as a leading APC figure from the region.
Observers noted that the incident reignited memories of a similar occurrence at an APC event in Gombe State last year, where the omission of the Vice-President’s photograph reportedly led to a disruption that forced the programme to end abruptly.
Addressing attendees at the Maiduguri event, Speaker Lawan expressed shock over the development, warning that such actions could generate unnecessary tension within the ruling party.
He questioned the rationale behind the omission, stating that excluding the image of a sitting Vice-President—particularly one from Borno State and the North-East—was unacceptable and capable of causing division.
Lawan’s remarks were met with loud applause from party members at the venue, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the organisers’ decision among those present.
