The political future of Senator Ali Ndume, who has represented Borno South in the National Assembly since 2011, is now hanging in the balance amid an alleged deepening rift between Vice President Kashim Shettima and Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum over power-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources familiar with the development told The New Chronicle that Vice President Shettima is opposed to Ndume’s return to the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), allegedly citing the senator’s “critical stance” against the current administration and describing him as “uncooperative.”
According to the sources, the Vice President is said to be positioning Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Musa Askira, as Ndume’s potential replacement for the Borno South senatorial seat, in what is being interpreted as part of a broader political realignment within the state.
However, Governor Zulum is reportedly resisting the move, insisting that Senator Ndume be allowed to contest for another term. The governor is said to prefer maintaining stability within the party structure in the state and has expressed concern over rising internal tensions.
The disagreement is also believed to be tied to wider political interests, including the succession plan for the governorship of Borno State, with both camps allegedly holding differing views on the state’s future leadership arrangement.
While none of the principal actors have publicly confirmed the claims, the unfolding situation has sparked renewed debate over internal APC dynamics in Borno and the potential implications for the 2027 elections.
Efforts to reconcile the differing positions are reportedly ongoing, though the standoff is seen by observers as a test of loyalty, influence, and political control within the ruling party in the state.
