Why I shunned Shettima while endorsing Tinubu – APC National Vice Chairman

Mustapha Salihu, the National Vice Chairman (Northeast) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has explained why he chose to endorse President Bola Tinubu and not Vice President Kashim Shettima.

While speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday, Salihu clarified that Shettima was omitted from his endorsement during Sunday’s APC North-East summit in Gombe because it was in line with party convention and constitutional provisions.

“In my full speech—the last paragraph before the endorsement—I eulogised Kashim Shettima, recognising him as our son and expressing that we stand by him as people of the North-East.

“I also appreciated the national security adviser as our son, whom we are proud of, and acknowledged all the ministers and parastatals given to Northeast indigenes, thanking Asiwaju [Tinubu] for that, before calling for the endorsement of him as the sole presidential candidate,” he stated.

Salihu added that the endorsement process involves only presidential aspirants, not their running mates.

“In party politics, we have only one ticket at the primary stage—for the executive chairman, local government chairman, governors, and president.

“There is no provision in our constitution that allows for the endorsement of a joint ticket at that level.

“It is only after the primaries, when a candidate emerges, that he chooses a running mate.

“That choice remains the constitutional prerogative of the presidential candidate, even though consultations may occur,” he noted.