..To set up Presidential Advisory Council
With the decision of Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress,APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to pick two time governor of Borno state,Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate for next year’s election,the coast now seems clear for the epic contest.
However,before the choice of Shettima was made , Newdawnngr.com sources revealed that various scheemings and manouvers were at play in the last three weeks before Sundays final decision.
One of the hurdles Tinubu had to clear was the vexed issue of a Muslim- Muslim ticket which had dominated the polity in view of the apparent dominance of governance in the past seven years by Muslims especially of Fulani ethnic stock by the present Muhammadu Buhari led government.
While top Christain and opinion leaders have openly canvassed against such a decision by any of the aspirants, in view of the latent experience,yet some have hinged on the imperative of not jettisoning the majority Muslim voting population of the North if the party must win the election .
This some argued, becomes a difficult decision since Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition,People’s Democratic. party,PDP, is a Muslim also from the North.
It was gathered that while Tinubus advisers are not oblivious of the need to ensure religious balance, yet the need to win election and reduce Atikus voting strength also played a crucial role in arriving at a decision.
Another issue seriously canvassed by Tinubu and which reflected in his speech is the need for competence and Intergrity which he said far outweigh religious consideration.
Yet, the biggest hurdle Newdawnngr.com sources revealed remains the twelve state governors of the APC who wanted Tinubu to pick one of their own as his running mate.
It will be recalled that since the return of party politics in 1999 ,state governors have played prominent roles in national elections.
Indeed,it is on record that the then ruling PDP governors actually influenced the choice of late Umaru Yaradua by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Tinubus supporters in the party were however said not to be comfortable with the governors choice of Borno state Governor, Professor Abubakar Zulum who they alleged initially pitched his tent with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during the run -off to the Presidential primaries.
In his own case,Tinubu was said to have catched in on the obvious anti Fulani sentiment both in the country and some parts of the North hence his choice of Shettima, who is from the North east like Atiku and seen as urbane, intelligent and an economist with whom he has worked for some time.
Shettima is also seen as a better alternative to Kaduna state governor,El Rufai,seen as rather too controversial both in his manner of running his state and on national issues.
On the issue of religion, Tinubu was said to have argued that since competence plays a crucial role in governance, the ticket that would win the election is said to be more crucial than playing to religious sentiment.
While appreciating the fear and concern of Christains in the country,he was said to have resolved to commission influential stakeholders to assure Christains of his resolve to run a fairly balanced government that would address issues of religious and ethnic bigotry which has polarised and caused sharp divisions the country in the past seven years.
It was learnt that in this regard,he may settle for a Christain both as Senate President and Chief of Staff.
Said a source,”In a presidency,the president may decide to allow the power situated in a Principal Secretary or even the Chief of Staff and that is what matters.”
For now, efforts are on by Tinubu to constitute a Presidential Campaign Council which will be made up of elders and leaders of the party from all parts of the country.
