VP Shettima Clarifies Remarks on Northern Governors’ Support for Tinubu
The Office of the Vice President has clarified remarks by Vice President Kashim Shettima regarding the support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received from northern governors ahead of his emergence as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, the clarification said Shettima’s reference to six northern governors who supported Tinubu was specifically in relation to political consultations and alignments ahead of the APC presidential primary held in June 2022.
The statement stressed that the Vice President was not referring to the position of northern APC governors after Tinubu emerged as the party’s presidential candidate, nor was he questioning their support during the 2023 presidential election.
According to the statement, following the presidential primary, APC governors in the North rallied behind Tinubu and played significant roles in the party’s campaign and electoral efforts that culminated in his victory in the 2023 general election.
“It is worthy of note 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,” the statement said.
It added that the declaration by the northern governors became an important point of alignment across political divides in the quest for a shift in power.
The Vice President, the statement noted, holds the northern governors and other APC leaders in high regard and recognises their individual and collective contributions to the party’s success and Tinubu’s emergence as President.
“Vice President Shettima regrets any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes this clarification places the comments in their proper context,” it added.
Shettima also appreciated the Nigerian media for its longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement with his office, while urging continued accuracy and proper context in the reporting of public remarks as the country approaches another political season.
VP Shettima Clarifies Remarks on Northern Governors’ Support for Tinubu