Shettima clarifies remarks on northern governors’ support for Tinubu

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent remarks about the support President Bola Tinubu received from northern governors ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Shettima said his reference to six northern governors who supported Tinubu was specifically about political consultations and alignments ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary held in June 2022.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice-President said the remarks were not intended to question the support of northern APC governors for Tinubu after he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.

“Following 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,” the statement said.

Shettima also noted that the declaration of Tinubu as the APC presidential candidate became a point of alignment for governors across the country.

He said the northern governors’ declaration was followed by broader support across political divides in the effort towards a power shift.

The Vice-President expressed his respect for northern governors and other APC leaders, acknowledging their individual and collective contributions to the party’s success and Tinubu’s emergence as President.

“Shettima regrets any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes this clarification places the comments in their proper context,” the statement added.