Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Senator Kashim Shettima, the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate, has stated that if elected in 2023, the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will create platforms to gainfully engage millions of jobless Nigerian youths.
Shettima, the immediate past governor of Borno State, spoke yesterday in Abuja when the Senate Press Corps congratulated him on his election as the APC vice presidential candidate.
“The task ahead of us is onerous; it is a task of nation-building; it is a task for us to coalesce into a single course and see to the realisation of our nation’s full potentials, a very young nation,” he said. Nigeria’s population is 19 years old on average.
“May God grant us the wisdom and health to create robust platforms for engaging multitudes of our youth who are jobless and hungry.”
“We owe it to God and to mankind.” The Nigerian people have been gracious to us. It’s time for retaliation. I want to pledge and commit to you that, by God’s grace, we will serve this nation with equity, justice, and inclusivity.”
The Senate Press Corps Chairman, James Itodo, who presented the senator with the congratulatory message, stated that the corps has no doubt that Shettima is naturally endowed to handle the tasks ahead.
Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, a former Yobe State governor and ex-Chairman of the APC governors’ forum known as the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), has also urged progressive Nigerians to support Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Shettima.
The former governor stated in a statement issued by his media aide, Grema Mohammed Zubairu, that “what we see about the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is not a religious agenda.” To the best of my knowledge, the emergency of Asiwaju Tinubu and…Shettima was based on capacity and competence rather than religious grounds. These are intelligent Nigerians who can help move the country forward.
“They are not religious authorities.” They are politicians who practice their religion, just like any other Nigerian, and this should not be a problem.
“In order for Nigeria to progress, we must put aside our differences and embrace one another for the good of the country.” The most important task ahead of every progressive Nigerian now is to see how we can rally support for Asiwaju and Shettima to win the general election next year. This religious discussion will take us backward rather than forward.”
Thousands of APC supporters and loyalists of Asiwaju Tinubu converged on the party’s state secretariat at Oke-Ado in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, ahead of a rally and street walk to garner support for the party’s presidential candidate and his running mate in the 2023 general election.
Several supporters arrived at the party’s secretariat as early as 7 a.m., anticipating the start of the rally across the ancient city.
The supporters held placards that read, among other things, “Awa Lokan” (It’s our turn); “Jagaban Lokan” (It’s Jagaban’s turn); “Tessy Lokan” (It’s Teslim Folarin’s turn); “Road to Aso Rock”; “Vote Tinubu”; and “Asiwaju is our man.”
Teslim Folarin, former Senate Leader of Oyo State, urged Nigerians to vote for good governance, infrastructure, employment, and development, which he said the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket represents.
Instead of wasting energy on religious sentiment, the APC governorship candidate suggested that Nigerians elect effective, capable, and trustworthy leaders, such as the APC candidates.
He described the Tinubu/Shettima ticket as “ideal.”
