TheCable

Festus Keyamo, minister of state for labour, says Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno state, is “perfect” to serve as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 election, on Sunday announced Shettima as his running mate.

Shettima is a serving senator and a former two-term governor of Borno state.

The announcement came shortly after Ibrahim Masari stepped down as the “placeholder” running mate of Tinubu.

Masari was in June selected as Tinubu’s running mate — but only in a temporary capacity.

Reacting to the development, Keyamo said Shettima complements Tinubu quite well.

Keyamo described Shettima as a “suave gentleman & politician” who is “intellectually fertile, economically sound, [and] intergenerationally mobile”.

The minister added that the former governor is “fiercely loyal” and “phenomenally complimentary” to Tinubu.

“Sen. Kashim Shettima is the perfect choice as VP,” he added.

Quintessential banker & economist, suave gentleman & politician, intellectually fertile, economically sound, intergenerationally mobile (he’s young, yet experienced), fiercely loyal, phenomenally complimentary to @officialABAT; HE Sen. Kashim Shettima is the perfect choice as VP https://t.co/wzdaw1zhfB

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) July 10, 2022

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Speaking on his decision to pick a fellow Muslim as his running mate, Tinubu said what mattered the most was “competence in governance”.

“In 1993, Nigerians embrace Chief MKO Abiola and a fellow Muslim running mate, Baba Gana Kingibe in one of our fairest elections ever held. The spirit of 1993 is upon us again in 2023,” he added.