Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that President Bola Tinubu did not enjoy the support of most northern governors during his bid for the presidency in the 2023 general election.
Shettima said only six of the 19 northern governors supported Tinubu’s presidential ambition at the time.
The Vice President made the disclosure on Wednesday at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, during the turbanning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate.
Reflecting on the 2023 presidential contest, Shettima said the political atmosphere was difficult for Tinubu, particularly in the North, but the President remained committed to his ambition despite opposition.
“You all know that we have 19 states in the North, out of these, only six actually believed and supported Tinubu, but Tinubu refused to be deterred. He was able to cross the road,” Shettima said.
He recalled that the slogan at the time was ‘Baba bayan sushi’ meaning Buhari did not like him, suggesting that former President Muhammadu Buhari was against Tinubu’s ambition.
Shettima compared Tinubu’s determination with that of Buhari, saying both men refused to be arm-twisted during political negotiations.
He specifically mentioned former Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and Governor AbdulRazaq as among those who supported Tinubu, but said he would not name the others to avoid controversy.
The Vice President used the occasion to appeal to politicians in Kwara State and across the country to embrace unity and forgiveness after political contests, stressing that disagreements during elections should not permanently divide political actors.
“After the 2023 election, President Tinubu hugged and forgave all other Northern governors that did not support him. That is a mark of a good leader,” he said.
