Follow Us on Google
Says APC has delivered on education, infrastructure and other promises
_______________________________________________________________________
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Kaduna
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged northern Nigerians to stand by President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, citing the president’s past support for northern political leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shettima said Tinubu had consistently supported northern presidential aspirants at critical moments in the country’s political history and deserved reciprocal loyalty from the region.
The vice president spoke on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, where he also defended the administration’s record on education, infrastructure and national unity.
He recalled that Tinubu supported Atiku when the former Vice-President left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and sought another political platform ahead of the 2007 presidential election.
Shettima also cited Tinubu’s support for former presidential candidate Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and his backing of Buhari in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
According to him, Tinubu’s political alliances with northern leaders demonstrated a longstanding commitment to the region.
“This explains why we have all stood with him. To declare why Arewa support for you. This is a mark of honour and our faith in a man of honour,” he said.
The Vice-President urged voters in the North to consider the President’s political history and the APC administration’s performance as they prepare to decide the country’s leadership in 2027.
Shettima said the Tinubu administration had worked to keep the country together despite political disagreements, economic difficulties and what he described as falsehoods and hypocrisy surrounding the government.
Other News
“We have come to you with a heart full of gratitude. Gratitude for standing with us. Gratitude for believing in us,” he said.
He added that the President and his allies had worked together to protect national stability and improve the economy, arguing that their cooperation had helped Nigeria withstand predictions of economic deterioration.
Turning to Kaduna State, Shettima urged voters to renew the mandate of Governor Uba Sani and support the APC across the ballot.
He said the state government had pursued policies aimed at restoring Kaduna’s reputation as a major centre of learning, citing the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, and the transition of the Federal University of Education, Zaria.
The vice president also highlighted vocational education initiatives in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf, saying more than 4,000 people had graduated from the institutions.
He further cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as part of the administration’s efforts to expand access to higher education for students from less privileged backgrounds.
Shettima said the APC had also continued infrastructure projects initiated by previous administrations, listing the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, Kano-Maradi Railway, Lagos-Kano rail corridor and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road among the projects making progress.
He also mentioned work on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, which he said would open up new opportunities for agricultural production and economic activity.
The vice president said the APC’s record in Kaduna demonstrated the party’s commitment to development and national cohesion, urging voters to support continuity in the 2027 elections.
He maintained that Tinubu’s history of political cooperation across regional lines, alongside the administration’s ongoing projects, provided grounds for the North to sustain its relationship with the president.
