2027: Shettima’s pick, a testament of unwavering loyalty to his boss
“And in the buildup to the 2023 elections, Shettima stood out and boldly identified with Asiwaju at a time when most northern APC politicians considered it politically risky, if not outright sacrilegious, to publicly support his presidential aspiration. Shettima chose conviction over convenience, and history will remember him for that.”
By Ismail Omipidan
Politics is influenced by interests, sentiments, and emotions. According to the late Maxim Gorky, a Russian-Soviet writer and one of the proponents of Socialism, politics is “the soil in which the nettle of poisonous enmity, evil suspicions, shameless lies, slander, morbid ambitions, and disrespect for the individual grows rapidly and luxuriantly. Name anything bad in man and it is precisely in the soil of political struggle that it grows with particular liveliness and abundance.”
Gorky’s observation aptly captures what Nigerians have witnessed over the past two years regarding the intense speculation over whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Not even President Tinubu’s unequivocal tribute to Shettima last year was enough to silence the rumour mill and make the Rottweilers back off. However, on Friday, the President effectively brought to an end the season of “poisonous enmity, evil suspicions, shameless lies, slander, and morbid ambitions” surrounding the issue.
To me, President Tinubu’s decision to retain his loyal co-traveller as running mate is a testament to Shettima’s steadfast loyalty to his boss and his commitment to the success of the Renewed Hope administration. It also reflects Tinubu’s strong conviction about strategy.
For those who may have forgotten, 2023 was not the first time the APC considered a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket before it eventually became a reality. In the build-up to the 2015 general election, President Tinubu made no secret of his desire to run alongside the late President Muhammadu Buhari. It was widely reported that Buhari was initially receptive to the idea, but influential forces within the party ultimately frustrated the plot. Rather than allow the setback to define him, Tinubu waited patiently for his time. Today, that chapter belongs to history.
Shettima’s belief in President Tinubu did not start in 2023. I can attest that his unapologetic loyalty to Tinubu dates back to well before 2015. He often shared with me valuable insights about some of the groundwork they carried out with Tinubu, both locally and internationally, in the build-up to unseating the PDP government in 2015.
And in the buildup to the 2023 elections, Shettima stood out and boldly identified with Asiwaju at a time when most northern APC politicians considered it politically risky, if not outright sacrilegious, to publicly support his presidential aspiration. Shettima chose conviction over convenience, and history will remember him for that.
Shettima belongs to the zodiac sign Virgo, the only sign represented by a female and often associated with humaneness. Shettima embodies many of its traditional traits. Virgos are described as modest and reserved, meticulous and reliable, practical and diligent, intelligent and analytical. With my association with him over the years, I can say with confidence that these qualities are evident in his personality and approach to leadership.
He stands out as one of the few truly brilliant, intelligent, witty, and friendly leaders from the North. He is very cosmopolitan and understands the concept of absolute loyalty. He continues to distinguish himself in leadership and public service.
In the corridors of power, it is not uncommon to see some people in authority wield influence carelessly. They not only do anything they like but also use all available tools to settle perceived scores, all in the name of politics. And in doing so, they often forget past favours and long-standing loyalties. Vice President Kashim Shettima is an exception.
Having known him long before he ventured into politics, I can attest that he understands both the dynamics of power and the essence of unwavering loyalty. Shettima gives his all to any cause he believes in, 100 per cent commitment, with sincerity and unwavering dedication.
The story of how the All Progressives Congress (APC) was birthed and the pivotal role played by Kashim Shettima, driven by his unwavering loyalty to President Tinubu, is well known to some of us.
It was him who first told me about the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket game plan in January, 2019. At the time, he never imagined himself as part of that ticket. What he did emphasise, however, was his total commitment to doing anything and everything necessary to ensure the success of Tinubu’s presidential project. That very day, he even requested that I join him in prayer for its success.
When President Tinubu eventually emerged as the presidential candidate of the APC, and reports began to filter in that Shettima might be considered as his running mate, some of us saw it as God’s way of rewarding a man who had worked for a cause with sincerity of purpose, without the intention to benefit from the project.
As expected, those who believe they hold the power of life and death in politics tried to throw a spanner in the works. They waged an intense political war against him, but God came to his rescue. Shettima is a firm believer in the power of the unseen, and he has held fast to that conviction over the years. Allah has never failed him, and will never fail him because despite all that God has done for him, and through him in the lives of others, he has remained humble.
Yaya na, as I fondly call you, congratulations for surviving yet another political coup. I pray that Almighty Allah continues to guide your steps and bless you with the knowledge and wisdom to navigate our country’s murky political waters.
Omipidan, is a seasoned journalist, an author, a communication expert, and public affairs analyst.