All Progressives Congress Presidential Standard-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (left) and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, during Tinubu’s arrival at Abuja Airport …yesterday.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed the official unveiling of former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as the running mate to its presidential candidate Bola Tinubu.
Shettima was meant to have been presented to party members at the APC National Secretariat on Thursday, but the Chairman of the APC Press Corp told reporters the event has been moved forward.
No reason has been given for the decision which comes amid controversy over the choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the party.
He said a new date will be announced in due time which would probably be sometime next week.
The Press Corp chairman said the directive for the postponement was given by the party’s Deputy National Secretary.
Tinubu on Sunday announced Shettima as his running mate after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State.
The APC presidential candidate said he chose Shettima as his running mate because “I believe this is the man who can help me bring the best governance to all Nigerians, period, regardless of their religious affiliation or considerations of ethnicity or region.”
Tinubu, in a statement he signed Sunday evening, said although he is aware of the religious concerns about his choice of running mate, he does not believe that religion should be the deciding factor in choosing a running mate.
“Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to please the Christian community. Other(s) have said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community. Clearly, I cannot do both,” Tinubu said.
“Both sides of the debate have impressive reason and passionate arguments supporting their position. Both arguments are right in their own way. But neither is right in the way that Nigeria needs at the moment.”
Tinubu stated that “religion, ethnicity and region cannot always and fully determine our path” amid outrage over a Muslim-Muslim ticket.