The National Vice Chairman, North East, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mustapha Salihu, has clarified why his public endorsement of President Bola Tinubu did not include Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The National Vice Chairman of the APC for the North East offered the reason during a Channels Television programme: “Politics Today,” on Monday.
The Eagle Online recalls that there was chaos at the APC North-East Summit in Gombe, the Gombe State capital, on Sunday over the failure of some participants to endorse Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 elections.
Salihu said on “Politics Today” on Monday: “In my full speech, the last paragraph before the endorsement, I eulogised Kashim Shettima, recognising him as our son and expressing that we stand by him as people of the North East.
“I also appreciated the National Security Adviser (Mallam Nuhu Ribadu) as our son, whom we are proud of, and acknowledged all the ministers and parastatals given to North-East indigenes, thanking Asiwaju (Tinubu) for that, before calling for the endorsement of him as the sole presidential candidate.
“In party politics, we have only one ticket at the primary stage: for the executive chairman, local government chairman, governors, and president.
“There is no provision in our constitution that allows for the endorsement of a joint ticket at that level.
“It is only after the primaries, when a candidate emerges, that he chooses a running mate.
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“That choice remains the constitutional prerogative of the presidential candidate, even though consultations may occur.”
Salihu said this rationale informed why governors such as Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State similarly endorsed Tinubu without jointly endorsing Shettima, even while praising the vice president as “our own”.
Asked about the speculation of a rift between Tinubu and Shettima, he said: “The administration of a party is not run on social media, newspapers, or television.
“It’s handled internally,” he asserted.
“These kinds of rumours are inevitable in every administration.
“People will always try to suggest friction between the principal and the vice.
“It’s what some insecure politicians thrive on.
“But if you’re secure in yourself, you shouldn’t be bothered by such noise.”
On concerns that the omission of Shettima’s name from the endorsement could create discontent in the North East, Salihu disagreed.
He said: “Anybody saying there’s discontent is simply wrong.
“I’m in Yola.
“I’ve engaged with members from Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, and Yobe.
“We all stayed up the night before the summit brainstorming.
“We did what the law permits: mentioning and praising our son.
“Other zones didn’t even have that obligation.
“We don’t have a vice-presidential ticket to offer.
“There’s only one ticket: president.
“Endorsing Tinubu with conditions would have been inappropriate.”
Salihu added that suggesting who should be Tinubu’s running mate would amount to “putting the cart before the horse”.
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