Vice‑President Kashim Shettima has revealed that only six of the 19 northern governors supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential bid in the 2023 election.
He said the opposition did not deter Tinubu from pursuing his ambition.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu‑Gambari, during the turbaning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of the Ilorin Emirate.
He said the political atmosphere surrounding the 2023 presidential contest was intense. According to him, several obstacles were placed on Tinubu’s path, but he remained determined to press ahead.
“You all know that we have 19 states in the North. Out of these, only six actually believed and supported Tinubu. Apart from former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger, who is seated here, and Malam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq — to avoid controversy, I will stop naming the others — the governors that were supporting President Tinubu in the North were not more than six. However, Tinubu refused to be deterred. He was able to cross the road,” the Vice‑President said.
Shettima said the experience should provide a lesson for politicians preparing for future contests. He stressed that political disagreements should not become permanent divisions among those seeking elective office.
He particularly urged politicians in Kwara to reconcile after the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, regardless of who emerges, saying political competition should not be treated as a battle in which former allies become permanent enemies.
According to him, Tinubu demonstrated such an approach after the 2023 election by reaching out to governors who had not supported his presidential ambition. “After the 2023 election, President Tinubu hugged and forgave all other northern governors who did not support him. That is a mark of a good leader,” he said.
The Vice‑President also called on Nigerians to serve with humility and leave a positive legacy. He noted that political office is temporary and that those who occupy positions of authority will eventually return to ordinary life.
“Power is given by God to the people He so wishes and not because they are better than other people,” Shettima said, urging politicians to recognise that occupying public office does not make one inherently superior to others.
He also defended Tinubu’s handling of the country’s economic difficulties, saying the administration chose to confront the challenges it inherited rather than spend time apportioning blame. Shettima said the government inherited about $3.9 billion in its coffers and faced a difficult economic situation when it assumed office.
He added that the president’s political approach was influenced by the style of former President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he described as a politician who would not allow himself to be arm‑twisted during political negotiations.
The Vice‑President commended the Emir of Ilorin for honouring AbdulRazaq, saying the governor’s elevation to the Sardauna title would further strengthen the relationship between the governor’s family and the Ilorin Emirate. He acknowledged the contributions of AbdulRazaq’s late father to the emirate and the country, and lauded the governor’s administration for its infrastructure projects and cooperation with federal policies.
Earlier, Shettima inaugurated the Kwara State Revenue House on Ahmadu Bello Way and a garment factory in Ilorin as part of his activities in the state.
The Matawali of Ilorin Emirate, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq, described the Sardauna title as well deserved and urged the governor to regard the honour as an additional responsibility to deliver more dividends of democracy across the state.
The ceremony attracted dignitaries including Niger State Governor Umar Bago, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, as well as the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli.
Deputy governors from several states, including Sokoto, Anambra, Nasarawa, Delta, Ondo and Oyo, also attended the ceremony.
