Kashim Shettima’s There, You Have It

My last outing on Senator Kashim Shettima, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, titled, “ Endorsing Kashim Shettima” dwelled a lot on the qualities of the former Governor of Borno State, and former senator representing the Borno Central Senatorial District; detailing his achievements as a master builder of the war ravaged Borno State and how he not only survived the war period in Borno as a governor, but how he was able to still deliver projects to his people, which saw to the reconstruction of the Borno society. This rebuild includes a state-owned university, now known as the Kashim Ibrahim University (KIU), in honour of the former governor of the defunct Northern region. Kashim Shettima was one of the best outgoing governors in 2019, considering that terrorism had emasculated Borno state at the height of the Boko haram and ISWAP onslaught. During Shettima’s last two years as Borno governor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, late Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former VP Prof. Osinbajo, and Mrs Maryam Abacha, to mention a few, were all in Borno to commission landmark projects that heralded the rebuilding of the war-torn Borno state.

In that piece, I underlined the circumstances under which Kashim Shettima emerged as the VP pick of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, beating Gov. Ganduje and Gov. El-Rufai, the two other front-runners for the nomination. Shettima stood out as the most outspoken comrade of the Asiwaju for President movement. This was way before the issue of a VP nomination pick was in the offing. Kashim Shettima was already preaching the Jagaban gospel as a sitting senator exactly two years before Asiwaju’s declaration to run for the APC Presidential nomination. So his eventual endorsement was met with much applause, and it was really well deserved. A no-brainer, one would say, and his case was quite a peculiar one as the North East caucus of the APC frowned at the emergence of a VP pick from the North West, considering the fact that the North West had an eight-year run with the Presidency of Gen. Buhari. So Kashim Shettima represented the North-Eastern yearnings of the party and the people, aside from being eminently qualified for the nomination and also a leader of the Asiwaju for President campaigns.

At the height of the “drop shettima campaign”, I submitted an article titled  “Shettima: passion not compassion”, in which I highlighted that the VP’s passion for the Asiwaju project qualified him for whatever considerations he has enjoyed from the “emilokan” moments till date. It was not out of compassion as some third columnists liked to argue. I posited that Kashim’s passion earned him recognition and the position rather than mere geopolitical considerations. In the North-Eastern hemisphere of these geopolitical considerations, I can, as most party stalwarts would, attest that Kashim Shettima stood out and can virtually be regarded as the leader of the APC at the time, barring old-timers like Gov. Goje, who, of course, are way above that peer bracket for such political considerations. The vibrant, eloquent, humorous and indefatigable, whose character and political disposition rise above ethnic and religious or other primordial sentiments, was Kashim, and still is. The APC zonal event that elicited Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum’s University days “alutaness” over the controversy of whether Kashim Shettima is to be endorsed alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event or not just yet, brought to the fore the long-held rumour about dropping Kashim Shettima from the ticket.

Now these kinds of rumours can eventually turn to ‘tumours’ if not managed well, as is characteristic with most corridors of power, and they can take one out slowly,  just like a cancer, only this time: out of the corridors of power. The climax of the rumour came at Gen. Gowon’s book launch, where Kashim Shettima spilt the beans and told the public about the efforts from his home state, Borno, to address rumours held at Gen. Gowon’s book launch, where Kashim Shettima spilt the beans and told the public about the efforts from his home state, Borno, about rumours  targeting him. He was accused of ‘jazzing the President’s clothes. This was way before his nomination or even Mr. President’s nomination in the first place. But Asiwaju held firm for him and discountenanced the rumours. Asiwaju wore the clothes proudly everywhere. The long-standing rumour seems to be the genesis of the machination to drop Shettima from the ticket. It is as old as the administration itself and has refused to go away, just like a cancer. In “Endorsing Kashim Shettima, I emphasised that those who wanted to take Shettima out of the equation ought to have done so, I emphasised that those who wanted to take Shettima out of the equation ought to have done that a long time ago. It is now too late.

It is not politically expedient to do that. It will be a pyrrhic errand, and the loss will outweigh any gain, if there is one. Thanks to Gowon’s sterling leadership, we now have confirmation that the quest to dislodge Kashim is not about incapacitation or political calculus, but merely about ‘jazz’! Clearly a case of jealousy and envy. The God of Kashim has not abandoned him. And neither have his supporters and well-wishers, including yours sincerely. The political weather as of today is about consolidation, not about breaking blocks or demolishing structures or long-standing political partnerships. Kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for holding steady and wearing those clothes. A big thumbs up to him for holding onto his mentee, Kashim Shettima, as VP and bestowing all the confidence in him. This is the true hallmark of a good mentor and Godfather.