Politics

Tinubu-Shettima Ticket: How Buhari Reportedly Snuffed Out APC Govs’ Anger In Daura

Published

2 years ago

Jul 12, 2022.

Yinka Akanbi

The nine APC governors said although Tinubu reserved the right to pick his running mate, they had not concluded their discussions with Tinubu before he went ahead to announce Shettima
An associate of Tinubu was also quoted as saying that Tinubu was not supposed to have made the announcement in that manner

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the All Progressives Congress governors (APC) on Monday at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, expressed reservation over the manner the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, handled the selection of his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

It was gathered that it took the intervention of the President to pacify the governors and rally them to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket when they visited his Daura home.

Sources at the private meeting between the President and the nine APC governors said although the APC candidate reserved the right to pick his running mate, they had not concluded their discussions with Tinubu before he went ahead to announce Shettima.

The North-West governors preferred the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu; or Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; because of the voting strength of the zone.

It was learnt the governors were angry when they heard that Tinubu had picked Shettima. Tinubu had earlier revealed on Sunday that he hadn’t even informed Shettima of his decision to pick him as his running mate.

“At the meeting the governors expressed their anger over Tinubu’s decision to pick Shettima. It was as if he didn’t even care about the opinion of the governors even though he will rely on them for mobilisation. Buhari, however, pleaded with them to accept Shettima since he is a loyal party member,” The PUNCH quoted an aide to one of the governors as saying.

Another source close to a North-West governor said the governors were all surprised by Tinubu’s announcement.

“We all watched the announcement on television just like every other Nigerian. Tinubu did not discuss this with anyone. He even admitted that he had not informed Shettima of his decision to pick him as running mate. This was not proper at all and the governors made this known,” he said.

An associate of Tinubu was also quoted as saying that Tinubu was not supposed to have made the announcement in that manner.

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“What happened was just like Tinubu’s announcement at the Presidential Villa in January when he told the media about his intention to contest. Sometimes, he makes these announcements in the spur of the moment. Many of us were shocked,” he added.

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