Vice President Kashim Shettima has said President Bola Tinubu forgave northern governors who opposed his presidential ambition in the 2023 election, describing the gesture as a mark of good leadership.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the turbaning of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
The Vice President, who spoke against the backdrop of political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, urged politicians to play politics without bitterness and reconcile after political contests.
He said political disagreements should not be allowed to become permanent divisions among individuals and groups.
“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.
Recalling the 2023 presidential election, Shettima said Tinubu faced opposition from several northern governors but remained undeterred in his quest for the presidency.
“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,” he said.
Shettima also recalled the political sentiment at the time that former President Muhammadu Buhari did not support Tinubu’s ambition to succeed him.
He cited the slogan, “Baba bayan sunshi,” which he said was used by some political actors to suggest that Buhari did not want Tinubu to become president.
Despite the opposition, the Vice President said Tinubu remained focused and eventually won the 2023 presidential election.
Shettima said Tinubu subsequently extended a hand of fellowship to those who had opposed him during the election.
“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.
The Vice President urged politicians in Kwara State to draw from the experience by putting political differences behind them after elections and working together in the interest of the state.
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