One of the politicians noted as a possible running mate of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, Babagana Zulum, has commented on the eventual choice – Kashim Shettima.
Showing no bad blood, Zulum says Shettima, his predecessor as Borno State Governor, is the best and wisest choice Tinubu could make.
He says in a statement he personally signed:
“For me, and I am sure for many leaders and members of the APC, Tinubu’s choice of HE Kashim Shettima is the wisest choice at this point in time.”
“Shettima’s choice is very personal to me and together with our leaders and all stakeholders and members of the APC, we shall campaign vigorously, work day and night, to collectively secure overwhelming victory for the APC in 2023, insha’Allah.
“Without the slightest doubt, HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has chosen a leader who deeply understands our country and its complexities. There is hardly any tribe in any of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT that Senator Kashim Shettima cannot knowledgeably speak about. He knows the social, cultural, religious, economic and political structure of virtually all 36 States and the FCT.
“Shettima is extremely patriotic. He believes so much in the unity of this country and he has proved it on a number of occasions.
“Shettima’s administration (in which I am honoured to have served as rector and as commissioner) truly reflected the Nigerian configuration.
“Above everything else, Tinubu has chosen for Nigeria, an incoming Vice President, insha’Allah, with very deep knowledge not only of the Nigerian economy (challenges and prospects) but also of the world.
“As far back as 2012, Shettima had on many occasions predicted the likelihood of fall in revenue from oil just as he predicted potential fall in the value of naira to dollar, which was why he imported agricultural products worth over N30 billion which today are worth far more, making Borno one of the richest in agricultural machinery.”