Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent remarks about the support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received from northern governors, saying his comments referred specifically to political consultations ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in 2022. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and……
Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent remarks about the support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received from northern governors, saying his comments referred specifically to political consultations ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in 2022.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, on Thursday, September 17, the Vice President said his reference to six northern governors who supported Tinubu was limited to the period preceding the APC presidential primary held in June 2022.
“The Vice President’s reference to six northern governors who believed in and supported President Tinubu was specifically about political consultations and alignments preceding the APC presidential primary in June 2022,” the statement said.
It stressed that the remarks were not intended to question the support of northern APC governors after Tinubu emerged as the party’s presidential candidate or during the 2023 general election.
“It was not a comment on the position of northern APC governors following President Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s candidate, nor was it intended to question their support during the 2023 presidential election,” it added.
....: Only Six Northern Governors Backed Tinubu In 2023 – Shettima
According to the statement, APC governors in the North subsequently rallied behind Tinubu after the presidential primary and contributed to the party’s campaign and electoral efforts that culminated in his victory in the 2023 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 said.
It further noted that the support of the northern governors after Tinubu’s emergence helped establish a broader alignment within the party ahead of the 2023 election.
“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,” the statement said.
“That declaration by the northern governors hence became the aligning moment across all political divides in the quest for power shift,” it added.
The Vice President also reaffirmed his regard for the northern governors and other APC leaders, acknowledging their contributions to the party 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 statement said.
Shettima also expressed regret over any interpretation of his remarks that suggested otherwise.
“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.
The Vice President’s media aide also thanked the Nigerian media for what he described as its “longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement” with his office.
He urged journalists to maintain accuracy and context in reporting public remarks as the country approaches another political season.
