Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent comments concerning the support President Bola Tinubu received from northern governors, saying his reference to six governors was specifically about political consultations and alignments ahead of the All Progressives Congress presidential primary in June 2022.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Shettima’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, following comments made by the Vice President at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
Shettima had spoken on Wednesday during the turbaning of Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as the Sardauna of the Ilorin Emirate. During the event, he recalled the political atmosphere surrounding Tinubu’s bid for the APC presidential ticket in 2022.
The Vice President said that, out of the 19 northern states, only six governors had believed in and supported Tinubu at that stage. He identified AbdulRazaq and former Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello among the six but did not name the remaining governors.
Shettima also said that Tinubu subsequently reconciled with northern governors who had not supported his presidential bid, describing the President’s decision to forgive them as an example of political magnanimity.
However, the Vice President’s office said the comments should not be interpreted as suggesting that northern APC governors failed to support Tinubu after he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.
“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,” Nkwocha said.
The statement stressed that the remark was not intended to question the position of northern APC governors following Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s candidate or their contribution to his campaign during the 2023 general election.
According to the clarification, northern APC governors rallied around Tinubu after the presidential primary and played significant roles in the campaign and electoral efforts that eventually resulted in his victory in the 2023 presidential election.
“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.
The statement further noted that the support expressed by the northern governors after the APC primary became an important point of political alignment within the party and across different political interests.
The Vice President’s office also emphasised that Shettima holds the northern governors and other APC leaders in high regard, recognising what it described as their individual and collective contributions to the party’s success and Tinubu’s emergence as President.
Shettima expressed regret over any interpretation of his earlier comments that may have suggested otherwise, saying the clarification was intended to place his remarks in their proper context.
The development comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the role of northern political leaders in the 2023 presidential election increasingly becoming part of political discussions.
Shettima’s original comments were made while reflecting on the political challenges Tinubu faced before securing the APC presidential ticket. Premium Times reported that the Vice President used the occasion to urge politicians to avoid bitterness and demonstrate the willingness to forgive political disagreements as the country approaches another election cycle.
The Vice President also urged political leaders to remember that public office is temporary and that political differences should not permanently divide individuals or groups.
The clarification from his office therefore distinguishes between the political alignments that existed before the 2022 APC primary and the subsequent support for Tinubu after he became the party’s presidential candidate.
It also seeks to reaffirm the role played by northern APC governors in the 2023 campaign, while placing Shettima’s reference to six governors within the context of the internal political consultations that preceded the party’s presidential primary.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, the clarification adds to the ongoing political debate over alliances, loyalty and the history of support for President Tinubu within the APC. The Vice President’s office urged the media to maintain accuracy and context when reporting political remarks as the country enters another election season.
