Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his remarks that only six of the 19 northern governors supported President Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2023 election.
Shettima had made the comment at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, during the turbaning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President said his reference to six northern governors was specifically about political consultations and alignments that preceded the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in June 2022.
He said the remark was not intended to suggest that northern APC governors did not support Tinubu after his emergence as the party’s presidential candidate or during the 2023 presidential election.
“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 read.
“Indeed, 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. That declaration by the northern governors hence became the aligning moment across all political divides in the quest for power shift.”
Shettima said he 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.
“VP Shettima holds the northern governors and other leaders of the APC in high regard and recognises their individual and collective contributions to the success of the party and the emergence of President Tinubu.
“The Vice President regrets any interpretation of his remarks that may have suggested otherwise and hopes this clarification places the comments in their proper context,” Nkwocha said.
Shettima also appreciated the Nigerian media for its longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement with his office, while urging continued accuracy and context in the reporting of public remarks as the country approaches another political season.
