2023: Tinubu Picks Shettima As Running Mate, Inform Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his decision to pick former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as his substantive running mate in next year’s election.

The former Lagos State governor was in Daura, Katsina State on Sunday to meet with the president who is observing the Sallah break in his hometown.

After meeting and having lunch with him, Tinubu announced to waiting correspondents at the president’s residence that he had chosen Shettima following the announcement a moment earlier that his “placeholder,” Ibrahim Masari, had voluntarily withdrawn his name from the slot.

While noting that he was in Daura to pay Sallah homage to the president, Tinubu added he was there: “To equally, discuss the question of my running mate, substantive. One of them withdrew today, I mean, the only one as a placement, withdrew today and there has been already an announcement to replace him fully with a substantive.”

Asked who was the substantive candidate, he responded “Kashim Shettima,” adding: “I have not discussed it with him, I have disclosed it to you since I’ve disclosed it to the president.”

While affirming that the APC would win the 2023 election, he said he selected Shettima “because he is competent, capable, reliable and able.”

Asked whether APC was in the right condition to win the election said: “We are going to win. Insha Allah. We’re gonna win.”

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Asked why so much confidence, he responded: “Because we are a progressive party. We are focused on Nigerians’ problems and we face the challenge squarely. We are not running away from it. We have a better programme for the people and about the people and ready to serve.

“Within a short period of time, there will be a good foundation on infrastructure.”

On the challenges of terrorism facing the country, the APC flag bearer admitted the problem but added that to solve it, you have to be a good thinker and observer.

He explained: “We face challenges of terrorism. We know that. It’s only a poor thinker and observer that will not recognize the challenge. But once you recognize it the challenge, you can prepare yourself very well to tackle it and defeat it. And that is what our party is all about.”