Vice President Shettima Makes U-Turn On Claim That Only Six Northern Governors Supported Tinubu In 2023
Vice President Shettima Makes U-Turn On Claim That Only Six Northern Governors Supported Tinubu In 2023
At the event, Shettima had disclosed that only six of the 19 northern governors actually supported the presidential ambition of Tinubu in 2023.
Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has claimed that he holds the northern governors and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in high regard and recognises their contributions to the success of the party and the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.
He said he, however, regretted any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes the clarification places the comments in their proper context.
This was contained in a statement by the Office of the Vice President, signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), on Thursday.
The controversy stems from remarks made by Vice President Shettima at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, during the turbaning of Governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate.
At the event, Shettima had disclosed that only six of the 19 northern governors actually supported the presidential ambition of Tinubu in 2023.
According to Shettima, the tension that heralded the 2023 presidential campaign and the election proper was so daring that it could only take a determined politician with a strong heart to continue pursuing his ambition.
He said many obstacles were cast on Tinubu’s path to frustrate his focus.
He had recalled: “You all know that we have 19 states in the North; out of these, only six actually believed and supported Tinubu, but Tinubu refused to be deterred. He was able to cross the road.
“Then, the slogan was: ‘Baba bayan sushi’ (Buhari said he didn’t like him). Even with all this, Tinubu went ahead with his ambition.
“Just like former president Muhammadu Buhari; Buhari would call your bluff and send you away once you try to arm-twist him in any political negotiation,” he stated.
He, however, urged Nigerian politicians not to see politics as a game of death but to always reconcile after the contest, saying: “After the 2023 election, President Tinubu hugged and forgave all other northern governors that did not support him. That is a mark of a good leader.”
Shettima urged Kwara politicians to close ranks after the APC primaries, urging them to emulate President Tinubu’s large heart in any political purpose.
Still hitting on the doggedness of his boss, Shettima hinted that the federal government inherited 3.9 billion dollars in the kitty, but refused to be discouraged, saying “the economic team forged ahead to turn the economy around; today, Nigeria is better for it.”
According to the statement from the Office of the Vice President, Shettima’s reference to six northern governors was specifically about political consultations and alignments preceding the APC presidential primary in June 2022.
“It was not a comment on the position of northern APC governors following President Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s candidate, nor was it intended to question their support during the 2023 presidential election,” the statement said.
The office noted that after the presidential primary, APC governors in the North rallied around the party’s candidate and played important roles in the campaign and electoral efforts that culminated in President Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 general election.
It added that it was after the declaration of President Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential primaries that all other governors across the country rallied round and followed suit.
“That declaration by the northern governors hence became the aligning moment across all political divides in the quest for power shift,” the statement added.
The clarification comes amid heightened political sensitivity ahead of the next electoral cycle, with the ruling party keen to project unity among its leaders.
