Tinubu names Kashim Shettima as running mate

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu has named former Borno State governor Kashim Shettima his running mate.

Shettima will be Tinubu’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections scheduled for February 2023.

Tinubu made the announcement on Sunday in Daura the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State.

A member of Tinubu Campaign Organisation who requested anonymity hinted on Sunday to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that the APC candidate has chosen a running mate.

The source said Tinubu would make the name of the candidate public this week.

“The vice-presidential nominee may most likely be a former governor and senator from the northeast of Nigeria.

“The person is also by accident of birth a Muslim, confirming what Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said on Saturday that Tinubu had settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,’’ the source said.

READ ALSO: Bola Tinubu wins APC presidential ticket for 2023 elections

The source added that in picking the running mate, Tinubu was not thinking about religion, but about the candidate’s competence, exposure, and intellectual depth.

“The considerations given for the choice of a running mate were dictated by the need to choose an individual capable of working with the presidential candidate to take Nigeria to greater heights,’’ the source said.

Tinubu is scheduled to pay Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina, on Sunday to brief him on his chosen running mate.

Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Saturday disclosed that Tinubu will announce a Muslim running mate in the coming week.

READ ALSO: Tinubu submits name of running mate to INEC

Tinubu in mid-June submitted the name of Ibrahim Masari, a Katsina politician, as a placeholder for his running mate to beat the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC mandates all political parties to submit names of candidates for presidential and governorship elections with the names of vice presidential candidate and deputy governorship candidate.

The Guardian reported that Tinubu will withdraw Masari’s name and replace it with the tentative running mate for Tinubu in 2023 presidential election later.