The vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima has described 2023 as a payback time for the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the North.
Shettima said this while speaking with thousands of Hausa Community in Alaba Rago, Ojo area of Lagos.
According to Shettima, the APC presidential flagbearer had been of support to candidates from the North in the past, and now it’s time for the north to return his goodwill.
The Vice Presidential candidate cited instances where Tinubu sacrificed personal ambition and offered political sanctuary to Northern political figures, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.
Shettima noted that Tinubu’s support of President Muhammadu Buhari eased the emergence of the current administration.
“For us in the North, this is a payback time for Tinubu. We are people of honour; we must honour our pledge and commitment. We urge you to vote for all candidates of APC in Lagos, from president to governorship and all legislative offices. I call on you to vote en masse for Governor Sanwo-Olu and support his good work,” Shettima said.
Speaking on behalf of the Arewa community, Badaru stated that Hausa community in Lagos is invested in the cause of APC, assuring they would go all the way to ensure the party’s candidates in the State got elected.
Also speaking at the gathering, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who led Shettima and the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje to the area, said the consultation was part of his political discussions with non-indigene groups residing in the State.
He appreciated the Hausa-Fulani community for supporting the efforts of his administration to scale up infrastructure and amenities in the LCDA.
He said: “I’m happy to join you today in furtherance of our consultation on the future of our State. I thank you for the peace and tranquility enjoyed among all non-indigene groups in this part of Lagos. We can only achieve our development goals when we stay united and work together. Iba LCDA has not been left out in our development programme.
“You have seen the good work we are doing in Iba and the infrastructure projects we are delivering in this area. We will be completing the Lagos-Badagry highway soon. The stretch towards Okokomaiko is the final work, which will be completed by the end of the year. The General Hospital we are currently building in Iba will also be completed. We will move inside Ojo and take up Kemberi-Afromedia Road.”
Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, who spoke in Hausa, said he offered to meet with the Lagos Arewa community because of the need to speak with one voice with respect to electing Tinubu as president and continuation of Sanwo-Olu’s mandate, as well as all APC candidates from the State
According to Ganduje, as far as the north was concerned, ‘the issue of Tinubu is concluded’.
He said: “We are here today with good tidings and we have brought you good news. As far as the Northern part of this country is concerned, the issue of Tinubu presidency is already completed. We are waiting for you Lagosians to come out and support this with your votes. In Kano, Asiwaju will get more votes than any state will give him. We challenge you Lagosians to promise us that you will defeat Kano in the choice of Tinubu.”