Tinubu, APC Lost Some Strongholds – Shettima Opens Up On 2023 Presidential Polls

The Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Kashim Shettima, has opened up on the outcome of the just concluded 2023 presidential election.

Naija News reports that the former Governor of Borno State was on Wednesday, alongside his principal, President-Elect Bola Tinubu, handed a certificate of return after they were declared winner of Saturday’s presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking on BBC Hausa service yesterday, Shettima acknowledged that the APC was defeated in its strongholds during the polls. He referenced that President Muhammadu Buhari has never lost his state Katsina since two decades ago but eventually did in the last polls.

Shettima observed that his principal, Tinubu, was also defeated in Lagos State, his base and yet won the 2023 polls.

Reacting to controversies surrounding the victory of the APC at the polls, the Vice President-Elect said the just concluded election was the freest, fair and most credible election in Nigeria.

He said APC won, and God gave power to whoever he wished. Shettima thereby called on the opposition to accept defeat for Nigeria’s sake.

He said, “To best of my knowledge, last Saturday’s polls were the most free, fair and credible Nigeria ever had. The elections were conducted accordingly, and those calling for cancellation failed to prove where the polls went wrong.

“Our candidate Bola Tinubu was defeated in his state; we didn’t complain. Since 2003 President Buhari has never lost his state Katsina but this time lost it; we didn’t complain; what do they want us to say?

“In Abia, we polled 8,914 votes while the Labour Party candidate polled 327995; we didn’t complain; we accepted the results the way it was. Labour Party won in Abuja, Nasarawa and Plateau, in Imo where we have (APC) governor we polled 60,000 votes or thereabout.

“So let them accept defeat, accept their fate; Allah gives power to whoever he wishes. What we need now is to come together and develop our nation, I am sure former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi wish well for this country, let them accept defeat for the development of our country.”