The candidacy of former Borno state governor and current legislator in the 9th Senate, Senator Kashim Shettima, as the vice-presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been applauded by the Chief executive Officer and Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe.
The presidential candidate of the ruling APC,Bola Tinubu, had on Sunday announced Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in the 2023 Presidential elections, this while addressing journalists in Katsina.
Dr. Chidia, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman House committee on Defence who also in the Parliament with Senator Bola Tinubu at the National Assembly in 1992 allayed fears that the same religious background of both Tinubu and Shettima will sectionalise the country.
Chidia Maduekwe in a statement on Monday described both candidates as liberals who will uphold the collective interest of Nigeria’s multi ethnic and religious status.
While urging Nigerians to examine the candidates based on their economic development tendencies, the NFC Boss said that both candidates having passed through the executive and Legislative arms of government have acquired the requisite expertise needed to solve the current economic and security challenges distressing the nation.
According to the Chidia, the antecedence of both Tinubu and Shettima while in office as Governors and legislators has proven that they were fair in the delivery of democratic dividends to the masses regardless of their religious or tribal background.
Chidia said ; “The choice of Shettima as the running mate to Senator Bola Tinubu should be seen as a welcome development, it’s on record that Senator Shettima as Governor of Borno state was fair to the Christians in Borno State despite the security Challenges bedeviling the state, Shettima ensured that the welfare and security of the Christians were prioritised”.
“Putting sentiments asides if we are to be honest, Politics is all about winning , and judging by the current political situation Asiwaju is left with no other choice than to pick a Muslim vice President from the Muslim majority North-East zone where his major opponent, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) hails from.
“However, as coincidence will have it both men have almost the same liberal traits coming from a professional sector, with Asiwaju being a trained accountant and Shettima also a trained financial expert having worked in the banking sector.
“Asiwaju as governor of Lagos State from 1999 – 2007 understands what it takes to govern a cosmopolitan economy while Shettima being a former Governor of Borno state from 2011 – 2019 also knows the implication of favouring a particular religion as a result of the terrorism attacks perpetrated by ISWAP in his state. Additionally they both have experience in the legislature with Asiwaju being a former Senator and Kashim Shettima a current Senator in the 9th Senate, so Nigerians have absolutely nothing to fear.
“We have the records of how Shettima prioritized the welfare of the Christian community in Borno State when he was governor, Asiwaju on his part also laid the economic blue print in Lagos which has turned the states revenue to yielding billions monthly and has also witnessed massive economic and infrastructural transformation to say the least this the best combination that Nigeria needs at this point in time, Chidia concluded.
