..Northern APC Governors Run To Buhari In Daura
The decision by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in tapping the Kashim Shettima as his running mate is currently unsettling the northern APC Governors and some members of the ruling party, The New Diplomat has learnt.
Shettima, a former two-time Governor of Borno State — Northeast Nigeria — and a muslim as Tinubu’s running mate, formerly put paid to the weeks-long speculations surrounding the faith of Tinubu’s joint ticket holder. The former Lagos Governor didn’t do otherwise despite loud calls, urging him to do the opposite of some postulations predicted, instead he gunned and settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket at this precarious time in the life of the nation.
While this should ordinarily not be a concern for some Northern APC Governors who had backed this political initiative all along, insisting it would be a good sell in the Northwest and Northeast, there has been an uneasy calm in there fold since Tinubu picked Shettima, said to be his long-time loyalist.
Some of the Governors, including Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State had been involved in the process of helping Tinubu arrive at the decision, with some said to be courting Tinubu to land the VP slot themselves.
It was said that while the Governors understand that the APC presidential candidate has the prerogative to decide who should be his running mate, APC Governors in the Northwest in particular, had rooted for one of their own from the region, on the account of the highest voting population that Northwest commands, with 20% of registered voters in the country.
The New Diplomat learnt that another reason of concern among the Northern Governors was the manner in which Tinubu announced his choice for the VP slot as it was reported there had been a prior understanding that the unveiling would be done with the Governors present, to show consent and agreement. “However, going ahead to announce as if they did not matter in the equation,” according to a media source, even triggered more concerns.
According to reports, some the APC governors, who were unhappy with the announcement of Kashim Shettima by Tinubu as his running mate, have scheduled to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari today in Daura, to formally register their reservations before deciding on what to do next ahead of 2023.
Meanwhile, minutes after the announcement by Tinubu, Mr Daniel Bwala, a lawyer and a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of President Buhari expressed his displeasure over the decision in a tweet as he resigned his membership of the APC.
Bwala, who tweeted via his verified account @BwalaDaniel, immediately after the unveiling of Shettima, posted: “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 and energy should gravitate towards uniting our people.
“Asiwaju has announced Kashim Shettima as his running mate. Kwankwaso is planning to announce a Pentecostal bishop as his running mate. Interesting times lie ahead.”
Also, Senator Ishaku Abbo, from Adamawa, who was on some of the Tinubu support groups and committees, was reported to have sent scathing message to the group, in which he criticised Tinubu for going against popular counsel to choose a Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying “if as an ordinary citizen, Tinubu has refused to listen to counsel, then, he would be worse as president,” as he reportedly resigned his membership of all the Tinubu support committees, promising to officially make the announcement soon.
