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Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent remarks on the support of northern governors for President Bola Tinubu, saying his reference to six governors was limited to political consultations and alignments ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in June 2022.
Shettima, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said the remarks were not intended to suggest that northern APC governors withdrew their support for Tinubu after he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.
The clarification followed interpretations of the Vice President’s comments that appeared to suggest that only six northern governors supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.
According to the statement, “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.”
It stressed that the comment “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.”
The Vice President acknowledged the role played by APC governors across the North in rallying behind Tinubu after his emergence as the party’s candidate.
“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.
Shettima further noted that the support declared by the northern governors after Tinubu’s emergence as the APC candidate helped set the stage for wider political alignment within the party.
“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.
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“That declaration by the northern governors hence became the aligning moment across all political divides in the quest for power shift,” the statement added.
The Vice President said he holds the northern governors and other APC leaders in high regard, recognising their individual and collective contributions to the party’s success and Tinubu’s emergence as President.
Shettima also expressed regret over any interpretation of his remarks that may have 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,” the statement said.
The clarification comes as political activities ahead of the next election cycle intensify, with the role of northern political leaders in Tinubu’s emergence and 2023 victory increasingly featuring in political discussions.
Shettima also acknowledged the role of the media in reporting political developments, appreciating Nigerian journalists for what he described as their longstanding professionalism and constructive engagement with his office.
He urged the media to maintain accuracy and provide context when reporting public remarks, particularly as the country approaches another political season.
