Former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima has been rejected as the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shettima was rejected in a communiqué issued on Wednesday by a coalition of 28 support groups in the ruling party, Naija News reports.
According to the communique, the support groups asked the APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to choose a young running mate in the person of a party chieftain, Ibrahim Bello Dauda.
The groups asked the ruling APC and its leadership to hearken to the voice of the Nigerian youth now and ensure a more-inclusive governance process.
“We, substantive members of the coalition of All Progressives Congress Support Groups, here speaking in one voice and unanimously rejecting in totality the recent announcement of former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima as the running mate to the Presidential Candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We emphasise on the fact that this coalition of APC support groups has found Ibrahim Bello Dauda, a true detribalised Nigerian youth leader worthy to be the running mate and Vice President to His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next political dispensation.
“This group cannot but reflect on the fact that most of these political leaders became ministers and governors at their prime youthful age of late 30s and 40s, and were given that opportunity and support by the elders and leaders.
“The question now begging for answers is: Why now are they frustrating youths who are eminently qualified to be selected as vice presidential candidate?
“The ruling APC and its leadership should hearken to the voice of the Nigerian youth now, as this will reaffirm the much-touted promise made by the ruling party APC on youth inclusion in governance.
“The youths will no longer play the role of only supporting the old politicians. We are willing to participate in politics and function appropriately in governance,” the communique reads.
