Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that only six of the 19 northern governors supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential bid in the 2023 election.
Shettima made the disclosure 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 the Ilorin Emirate.
He said the political tension surrounding the 2023 presidential campaign and election was intense, adding that it would have taken a determined politician to remain focused on the ambition despite the challenges.
According to Shettima, several obstacles were placed in Tinubu’s path in an attempt to frustrate his presidential bid.
“You all know that we have 19 states in the North; out of these, only six actually believed in and supported Tinubu, but Tinubu refused to be deterred. He was able to cross the road,” he said.
Shettima recalled the opposition to Tinubu’s candidacy, saying, “Then, the slogan was: ‘Baba bayan sushi’ (Buhari said he didn’t like him). Even with all this, Tinubu went ahead with his ambition.”
He also compared Tinubu’s political resilience with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying Buhari would not allow himself to be pressured during political negotiations.
“Just like former President Muhammadu Buhari, Buhari would call your bluff and send you away once you tried to arm-twist him in any political negotiation,” he stated.
The Vice President urged politicians to avoid treating political contests as personal battles and to embrace reconciliation after elections.
“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 said.
He also called on politicians in Kwara State to close ranks after the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, urging them to emulate Tinubu’s capacity for reconciliation in pursuing their political objectives.
“President Tinubu, as a sound politician, takes after former President Muhammadu Buhari, who never allowed ambitious individuals to upstage him or hold him to ransom in political negotiations,” he added.
Highlighting Tinubu’s determination to tackle the country’s economic challenges, Shettima said the administration inherited $3.9 billion in the treasury but was not deterred by the situation.
He said the economic team forged ahead with efforts to turn the economy around, adding that the country had made progress under the administration.
Meanwhile, Shettima earlier inaugurated the state’s Revenue House on Ahmadu Bello Way and a garment factory, both in Ilorin, the state capital.
