Mustapha Salihu, the National Vice Chairman (North East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made it clear that the decision regarding Vice President Kashim Shettima’s role in the 2027 elections rests solely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Salihu made this statement during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday.
The statement comes after a wave of controversy on Sunday when APC North-East stakeholders, at a meeting held in Gombe, Gombe State, endorsed President Tinubu for re-election without mentioning Shettima.
However, Salihu clarified that the North East APC’s endorsement of Tinubu was unconditional.
He explained, “We cannot as North East APC stakeholders, because our son is the vice president, endorse Asiwaju with condition. We cannot do that. We are endorsing Asiwaju unconditionally.”
“And given the fact that constitutionally it is only one ticket we have, we don’t have the vice president ticket. If we put the words in Asiwaju’s mouth and we now say we have endorsed Kashim Shettima, we are putting the cart before the horse.”
Salihu added, “This is not unconnected with the fact that some people are still practising the politics of 1979. Politics has moved from barbarism and decadence without passing that kind of civilization.”
He continued, “How can you think that by bringing such thugs into the summit to be threatening people will now show your popularity in the zone? We are endorsing Asiwaju unconditionally. We are proud that Kashim is our son, we respect him and we stand by him.”
Concluding his remarks, Salihu said, “But it is the prerogative of Asiwaju to determine whether Shittima is going to be his running mate or not. But we are not endorsing Asiwaju without conditions.”
