Tinubu ended up opting for Shettima after Zulum repeatedly rejected the offer to run

ASIWAJU Bola Tinubu ended up picking Senator Kashim Shettima as his All Progressives Congress (APC) running mate for next year's presidential elections because his first choice Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State rejected the offer.

Last  month, Asiwaju Tinubu emerged as the APC presidential candidate after coasting home in a landslide victory following the party's convention in Abuja. Since then, however, he has laboured to select a running mate after publicly declaring that he will pick a Christian from the northeast geo-political zone as his deputy.

Yesterday, however, after weeks of prevarication, Asiwaju Tinubu ended up selecting a Muslim in the form of the former Borno State governor Senator Shettima. His choice has polarised the country as the Christian faithful feel highly marginalised and in the northwest geo-political zone, some of the governors there had hoped to be picked.

Apparently, the APC governors preferred Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State  and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai. However, Asiwaju Tinubu, himself a former governor of Lagos State went for Senator Shettima after Governor Zulum repeatedly refused to accept his offer.

Asiwaju Tinubu had offered Governor Zulum the ticket on a silver platter but he refused to take it, which is what led to the delay in announcing a running mate. When it became clear he would not accept the offer, Asiwaju Tinubu went for Senator Shettima, rejecting the stance of the APC northwest governors.  

One APC source said: “Based on wide consultations as well as a survey, Zulum was the most popular option. He was repeatedly offered the ticket but he turned it down for two main reasons, the first was that he was eager to complete his tenure as governor of Borno State and implement his reconstruction programme.

“Secondly, his loyalty to Shettima was also a factor. Zulum was Shettima’s commissioner when he handpicked him as his successor in 2019. They have maintained a cordial relationship which is rare between governors and their predecessors.

"Zulum finally stated that he would only accept the vice president's slot if Shettima asked him to take it but it was difficult for Tinubu’s men to ask Shettima to plead with Zulum to take the job when it was obvious that Shettima also wanted the job. With Inec’s deadline fast approaching, Shettima became the sure option and in any case, Shettima’s loyalty to Tinubu has never been in doubt, so, it became easy to settle for him.”

Earlier last week, the six northwest governors who are members of the APC had met with a view to ensuring that Asiwaju Tinubu picks one of them as a running mate. One of the governors, who was said to have been interested in the position was Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State who is one of the biggest advocates of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, having successfully implemented it in his state.

However, Governor El-Rufai’s frosty relationship with the Christian community was said to have discouraged Asiwaju Tinubu. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State could also not be considered despite his closeness to Asiwaju Tinubu because of the party crisis in his state that had contributed to the popularity of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Associates of Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who is also the chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, had reached out to Asiwaju Tinubu with a view to ensuring that he gets the ticket since he is the only northern Christian governor in the APC. However, Governor Lalong’s popularity in the north was said not to be strong enough to boost Asiwaju Tinubu’s chances.