Finally, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced his running mate for the 2023 election. The announcement comes after a meeting of some APC chieftains with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Kastina, on Sunday. Kabiru Masari stepped down from his “placeholder” position and Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno, took his place on the party’s ticket beside Tinubu.
For the first time since the historic 1993 presidential election with Moshood Abiola and Babagana Kingibe on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a mainstream Nigerian political party would be fielding a same-faith ticket.
Many consider this a risky move for the APC given the religious sensitivities, but Tinubu has probably done their calculations.
Those in the Tinubu camp are not shocked at the choice of Shettima as he has been one of the staunch advocates of the former Lagos governor’s presidential bid, and both are known to be good with each other.
TheCable understands that Shettima was to be officially unveiled on Tuesday but as soon as the news of his nomination leaked, Tinubu decided to go public on Sunday.
Shettima has been a media face of Tinibu since the former Lagos governor declared his presidential bid.
