Former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has revealed why the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, emerged as the party’s flagbearer for the 2023 general election.
Shettima noted that Tinubu’s promise of better days for Nigerians across all divides resonated with party members, stakeholders and delegates that voted at the party’s primary.
He said aside from the endorsement of Tinubu by six other presidential aspirants, his personality and nationwide acceptability played a crucial role in his emergence.
“Asiwaju emerged as victor against all odds because you elected to see through the mud thrown at him by those who couldn’t match his political credentials,” he said.
Shettima, who was one of the top supporters of Tinubu’s presidential ambition, revealed these in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle on Thursday.
The PUNCH reports that Tinubu scored 1,271 votes to defeat his closest contenders, Rotimi Amaechi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday.
Amaechi obtained 316 votes while Osinbajo polled 235.
He contested against 13 other aspirants – Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Ahmed Rufai, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr Jack Rich, Governor Ben Ayade, Governor David Umahi, Senator Ahmed Yarima, Dr Ahmed Lawan, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Governor Yahaya Bello and Mr Ogbonnaya Onu.
Nine aspirants had earlier stepped down, eight of whom asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu, while one asked his supporters to vote for Osinbajo.
Those who stepped down before voting began were Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Robert Boroffice, Ken Nnamani, Ibikunle Amosun, Dimeji Bankole, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and Godswill Akpabio.
But the former Borno governor, who is the current lawmaker representing Borno Central District, said that though the former Lagos State governor had won the APC presidential primary, there was more task ahead for him to win the 2023 general election.
Shettima wrote, “Our victory in the @OfficialAPCNg Presidential primaries is a testament to widespread belief in @officialABAT’s promise of better days by Nigerians across all divides. This is a victory for all of us, for those who defied pedestrian propaganda and falsehoods to stand with the truth.
“This is the first lap of our race to rekindle your faith in Nigeria and pride in its possibilities in a fast-changing world. Asiwaju emerged as Victor against all odds because you elected to see through the mud thrown at him by those who couldn’t match his political credentials.
“The endorsement of Asiwaju by six aspirants even before the election, which he won by a massive landslide, underscored his mass appeal among the esteemed contenders. Thus, we call on them to join us in the second lap of this race. We can’t afford to do so without a united front.
“I congratulate you for being a part of this history and doing so without underlining any of the country’s fault-lines. This is the maturity and wisdom we intend to adopt in the coming days to bring you, patriots of a great nation, under one umbrella to market Asiwaju’s ideals.”
