A public hearing for Nigeria’s ruling party triggered a protest in Maiduguri on Monday. The dispute began when a banner displayed at the All Progressives Congress (APC) event did not include a picture of Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The banner featured President Bola Tinubu, five regional governors, and a party official. The absence of Shettima, who is from Borno State in the North-East zone, caused immediate anger among delegates.
The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, openly challenged the party organizers. He called the omission a disrespectful act that could create tension within the APC.
Lawan noted this was not the first time. A similar incident last year in Gombe State reportedly caused a fight and ended a meeting early.
The Speaker asked the gathering why the picture of the sitting Vice-President from their region was left out. His statement was met with loud applause from the audience, showing broad support for his position.
The event continued, but the strong reaction highlighted ongoing political sensitivities. The party has not yet explained why the Vice-President’s photograph was excluded.
