Kashim Shettima, All Progressives Congress (APC) vice-presidential candidate, has sworn that he was initially against Bola Tinubu’s decision to have him as running mate.

“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu believes in the Nigerian project, and I swear in the name of God that I never supported Asiwaju to be his running mate,” Mr Shettima said.

The senator, who spoke when he was formally presented as the party’s vice-presidential candidate on Wednesday, added, “I supported the project because of moral compulsion.”

Mr Shettima, while speaking on his nomination and the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket, said it was time Nigerians went beyond malicious concoctions and dubious aspersions.

“I don’t intend to be vice-president to represent members of the Muslim community, no, the Sultan of Sokoto is capable of doing that.

“I don’t seek to be the vice-presidential of Nigeria to protect the interest of the Hausa Kanuri tribe in the North, no, I believe in the Nigeria project.”

Mr Shettima said it was time to sing songs of unity, peace, prosperity and stability to make Nigeria the pride of the black race.

”Rome was not destroyed by outside Invaders, but by the complacency of Romans.

“In the coming week and months,we have to go into the trenches, go into the nooks and crannies to sing songs of unity, peace, prosperity and stability.

“Let us unite this country and make her the pride of the black man, ” said Mr Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno.

(NAN)