By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru, Ndahi Marama, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Omeiza Ajayi, Peter Duru, Chioma Onuegbu, Bashir Bello, Ike Uchechukwu & Ogalah Ibrahim, LAGOS. The polity was literary astir, yesterday, as mixed views greeted Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s selection of former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his All Progressives Congress, APC running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
Governors elected on the platform of the ruling APC, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and some big shots of the party among others hailed Tinubu’s choice, boasting that with Shettima, the party’s road to electoral victory has been paved.
However, elder statesman and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, the Bishop of Calabar, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev Nneoji Egbe and Middle-Belt Youths, picked holes in APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, warning that it is a threat to the country’s unity and well-being.
The APC said that opposition parties in the country had been thrown off balance by the choice of Senator Shettima as running mate.
The party’s position came on a day Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje; Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, said the Tinubu/ combination will ensure victory for the APC at the 2023 polls.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, who spoke of the fret of opposition parties over Shettima’s choice, said in a statement that Tinubu and Shettima are not religious fundamentalists.
The statement read: “The sterling qualities of our vice presidential candidate, in the person of Senator Kashim Shettima, has once again thrown the opposition parties off balance.They would have preferred our presidential candidate to settle for less so as to make it easy for them to win the election but the choice of the trusted and trustworthy Shettima must have disorganised their evil plans.
“While we sympathise with the opposition parties, we appeal to Nigerians, who will eventually be the beneficiaries of good governance under Tinubu-Shettima presidency, to see beyond the sentiments of religion and tribe.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima are not religious fundamentalists or ultra Muslims, their records in public offices are testimonies to rely on.
“As a two-term governor in Borno State, Shettima enjoyed the support of the Christian community throughout his tenure. ‘In fact, the Borno chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, testified that ‘In the history of Borno State, there is no governor that has been fair to the Christian community as much as Governor Kashim Shettima’.”
Ajaka said Shettima has respect for the Christian faith and sponsored many Christians for pilgrimage during his tenure as governor.
Tinubu’s running mate, one of Nigeria’s finest – APC governors
Speaking in like manner, the APC Progressive Governors Forum, described the running mate of Tinubu as one of Nigeria’s finest.
The APC governors made the remark while addressing the press after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at his Daura home, yesterday.
Chairman of the PGF, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who addressed the press on behalf of his colleagues, described Tinubu’s choice of Shettima as a pleasant surprise.Bagudu said: “Shettima will bring a lot of value to the presidential ticket. So, we are quite pleased and we pray that his formidable capacity will complement the well-known formidable capacity of our presidential flag-bearer and Nigerians will indeed be convinced that this is about the best team of the party that 2022 primaries has produced.
“We are very proud of this and we congratulate Mr president, that under his leadership one of the most transparent primaries took place with the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our presidential flag-bearer.
“We, the governors are very proud and equally, we are very happy and proud that the vice presidential candidate is no less a person than Kashim Shettima and we believe that they will bring action to the campaign.”
Among the governors who visited the president in his Daura home town on Sunday were Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, and Aminu Masari of Katsina State.
Tinubu, Shettima a combination for APC’s victory — Ganduje
Speaking in a similar vein yesterday, Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, said the combination of Tinubu and Shettima will guarantee APC victory in next year’s elections.The governor, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, described Shettima as quick-witted and prepared for the office of vice-president.
He noted that during the pre-presidential primaries campaign, he shared common experience with Shettima who played a major role and brought to the fore his qualification, competence and exposure.
Lawan, APC North-East caucus hail Shettima’s choice
Also reacting, Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, said the party and Tinubu made excellent choice in selecting Shettima as his running mate.
“Asiwaju Tinubu and our party have made an excellent choice in Senator Shettima. The former two-term governor of Borno State entered public service with impeccable credentials, which he has burnished by demonstrating great competence, integrity and courage in all the positions he has held.
“His background in academics and the private sector prepared him for the achievements he has recorded in politics as governor and since his election to the Senate in 2019.
“A loyal and committed member of our party, Senator Shettima has what it takes to be an excellent running mate to our flag bearer, and insha Allah, the Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria from next year.
“We of the North-East caucus of APC attest that Senator Kashim Ibrahim Shettima is the right man for the job and that he will be an able and loyal lieutenant to our incoming President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insha Allah.”
Tinubu/Shettima ticket is victory for APC, says Gov Buni. On his part, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, congratulated Tinubu on his choice of a worthy vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima.
The governor, who was former Chairman, APC Caretaker Committee, described the Tinubu/Shettima ticket as a victory ticket for the party. “The combination of Tinubu and Shettima makes the party stronger to approach the Presidential election next year with a clear victory.’’
Governor Buni said the APC presidential and vice presidential candidates were people with bountiful wealth of experience in governance to make Nigeria great.
“Their administrative competence, skills and success stories have adequately prepared them for the leadership of the country. Nigeria has a lot to gain from the Tinubu/Shettima administration when elected into office,” he said.
Shettima’s choice as running mate wise decision by Tinubu -Gbajabiamila
To House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the choice of Senator Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate is a wise decision.
Gbajabiamila expressed delight that Tinubu settled for one of the best hands for the job of Nigeria’s vice president.
He said Shettima has over the years proved his mettle as a shrewd and progressive politician whose eight years as governor of Borno State – from 2011 to 2019 – was a defining moment for the state.
“Asiwaju is widely known as the biggest talent hunter in the country who has over the years assembled an army of performers in governance irrespective of their ethnicity or religious leaning. This unique feature also can be found in Senator Shettima following his track record of excellence in both the We cannot work for such a man. I will oppose (a) Christian-Christian ticket because I am invested in the stability of this country. A Christian-Christian ticket will be insensitive to Muslims of this country.
“The country is evenly divided among Muslims and Christians. So any government that is Muslim-Muslim will be illegitimate and will never gain the respect of Christians.”
Bwala, Deputy Senate president’s special adviser quits APC
Disappointed with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Mr. Daniel Bwala, a chieftain of the APC and special adviser to Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, on Legal Matters, yesterday, resigned his membership of the party.
He tweeted on his verified Twitter handle: “Tonight I officially resigned my membership of @OfficialAPCNg on principles and conviction that I hold so dear. At this time of our national existence, our efforts amd energy should gravitate towards uniting our people.”
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