2022 APC Primary: Shettima Sets Record Straight on Northern Governors’ Support for Tinubu
Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent comments regarding the support President Bola Tinubu received from northern governors prior to the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election.
In an official statement signed by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President explained that his reference to a specific group of six northern governors was strictly context-dependent, focusing solely on the early consultation phases leading up to the June 2022 APC presidential primary.
The statement emphasized that the comment was not a reflection of the governors’ stance after Tinubu secured the party’s ticket, nor did it describe their political alignment during the 2023 general elections.
Northern Governors and the 2023 Election
The clarification follows public discussions regarding the role northern APC stakeholders played in the current administration’s rise to power. Ahead of the 2022 primaries, the APC was deeply divided over zoning, with several northern governors eventually insisting that the presidency must shift to the southern region of Nigeria—a move that heavily favoured Bola Tinubu’s candidacy.
To prevent political friction, VP Shettima noted that after the primary, northern APC governors fully mobilized resources and rallied behind Tinubu as the unified party candidate. They also played pivotal, leading roles in the nationwide campaign structures that ultimately secured President Tinubu’s electoral victory.
Shettima reiterated that he holds all northern governors in the highest regard and expressed regret over any misinterpretations that the initial comments may have caused.
