Vice President Kashim Shettima has said President Bola Tinubu reached out to and forgave northern governors who did not support his presidential bid in the 2023 election.
Shettima made the statement on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the turbaning of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari.
Speaking against the backdrop of political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, the Vice President urged politicians to keep their differences within the boundaries of political contests and embrace reconciliation afterwards.
He said political disagreements should not develop into lasting divisions, calling on politicians in Kwara to put aside their differences and work together after elections.
“I call on all of us to unite in this political season and play politics without bitterness. The truth that sets us free is also the truth that people don’t want to hear,” Shettima said.
Reflecting on the 2023 presidential election, Shettima said Tinubu faced opposition from several quarters in the North but remained determined to pursue his ambition.
He claimed that only six of the 19 northern governors supported Tinubu at the time, although he did not name all of them. Shettima also referred to political sentiments during the period suggesting that former President Muhammadu Buhari was not in support of Tinubu succeeding him.
Despite the opposition, Shettima said Tinubu continued his campaign and eventually won the election. He said the President later extended a hand of fellowship to those who had opposed his candidacy.
“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.
Shettima urged politicians in Kwara to draw from what he described as Tinubu’s approach to political reconciliation, particularly as the state deals with disagreements arising from political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Vice President also reminded politicians that public office is temporary and should be approached with humility and a commitment to service.
“As public office holders, we spend more of our lives outside public offices than we do in public offices. Let us embrace each other, let us have the courage to serve with humility,” he said.
Shettima’s remarks came during a ceremony attended by political leaders and traditional rulers in Ilorin. Earlier, he inaugurated the Kwara State Revenue House on Ahmadu Bello Way and a garment factory in the state capital.
