(Governor Babagana Zulum. Photo by Governors Profile)
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has commended President Bola Tinubu for retaining Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, describing it as the first time an indigene of Borno State and the North-East would rise to the position of Vice President and be retained ahead of a potential second term.
He made this known while speaking to State House correspondents after Tinubu formally presented Shettima with the certificate confirming his selection as the All Progressives Congress vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Tinubu handed the certificate to his deputy during a brief ceremony at his office at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.
Zulum said he had come to appreciate the President for renominating Shettima as Vice President, and had also sought his permission to allow representatives from the northeastern states to pay him a thank-you visit, a request he said had been granted.
He said, on behalf of the governors of the northeastern states, that they would be preparing to visit the President the following week, noting that this marks an unprecedented achievement, recalling that a similar attempt during Kingibe’s era had come close but ultimately did not materialise.
He described it as the first time an indigene of the region had risen to the position of the country’s number two citizen, expressing joy over the development.
He further stated that the vice-presidential position does not belong to Borno State alone but represents the entire Northern region, expressing gratitude to Northerners generally for embracing “their son.”