Tinubu May Pick A Muslim As Running Mate, Considering Atiku, Shettima, Ganduje And El-Rufai

The camp of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reportedly ruled out Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, as running mate.

It was gathered that the ruling party and its presidential candidate might settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket as no Christian APC member in the North have the capacity to pull votes for the party.

One of those involved in the search for a running mate for the APC presidential candidate said the party will settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket if they fail to find a stronger Christian from either the North-East and North-West.

According to reports, Tinubu is consulting with President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and others in his search for a ‘number two.’

It was gathered that Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State; a former governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima; Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State; and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State are also in contention if the ruling party decides to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

A source told The PUNCH that, “the President and the members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum will play key roles in deciding the running mate. You will be surprised to know that Zulum made a case for Shettima when Asiwaju visited Borno during the campaign. He said, ‘Jagaban, please I am going to ask for two favours from you. I want you to pay attention to my state and also consider my principal, Senator Shettima, as your running mate. He has good things to offer and you will enjoy him’.

“For now, the running mate may have to come from these four men.”

The source revealed that Lalong’s closeness to the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, may affect his selection as Tinubu’s running mate.

According to the source, Boss Mustapha is also not actively involved in the presidential campaign despite being a former member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The source said, “From fresh considerations, we cannot pick Lalong or Boss Mustapha. Apart from his closeness to Amaechi, a factor we are not very comfortable with, Lalong is from the North-Central, which is not a core northern state. Plateau is also considered not to be strategic enough to win elections in northern Nigeria. Using him will be like alienating the entire northern Nigeria.

“Concerning Boss Mustapha, well, he is not with us. Though he belonged to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria like Tinubu, he does not identify with him. He was not part of our campaign and has yet to visit the aspirant (as of Saturday afternoon) since he won the primary.

“In his home state of Adamawa, it’s known that Mustapha cannot win an election there. So, why will you impose such a man on an aspirant that needs the huge votes from the northern region?”