Stakeholders in Borno have lauded the choice of Kashim Shettima as the running mate to the All Progressives Congress’ presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

The stakeholders, who spoke with journalists on Monday in Maiduguri, said the choice of Mr Shettima was good news to the state’s people.

Borno’s deputy governor, Umar Kadafur, said the senator’s emergence was a well-deserved and welcome development.

Mr Kadafur said he was proud of Mr Shettima for pursuing and achieving his ambition, and wished him more success in his career.

In her remarks, Zainab Gimba (APC-Bama/Ngala/ Kala-Balge) said the choice was a good one that would add value to the ticket.

On his part, Satomi Ahmad (APC-Jere) said that the choice of Mr Shettima was very significant, especially at a time Nigeria was faced with many challenges, particularly insecurity.

Mr Satomi noted Mr Shettima’s efforts as Borno governor at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency and how he mobilised youths into the Civilian Joint Task Force to support the military in chasing them out of Maiduguri.

Ciroma Usman, an APC chieftain in Borno, said that the choice of Mr Shettima was much expected.

“Shettima is humble, and I believe he is a true unifier. He is a detribalised Nigerian who had virtually carried every Nigerian on board in his government when he was Borno governor,’’ Mr Usman said.

Another respondent, Shehu Wajes, said the choice of Mr Shettima was a political perfection of the ruling party.

Usman Alkali, a legal luminary, said the delay in announcing Mr Shettima as running mate to Mr Tinubu showed that the presidential candidate and the APC are calculative. 

(NAN)