ABUJA, Nigeria — Vice President Kashim Shettima has clarified his recent comments regarding the support President Bola Tinubu received from northern governors prior to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress in June 2022.
Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, issued a statement on Thursday, September 17, 2026, addressing the comments. Okay News reports that Stanley Nkwocha explained the Vice President’s reference to six northern governors was specifically about political consultations and alignments preceding the party’s presidential primary.
The statement noted that the Vice President’s remarks were not a comment on the position of northern governors belonging to the All Progressives Congress following President Bola Tinubu‘s emergence as the party’s candidate, nor were they intended to question their support during the 2023 presidential election.
According to the statement, governors belonging to the All Progressives Congress in the North rallied around the party’s candidate following the presidential primary and participated in the campaign and electoral efforts that resulted in President Bola Tinubu‘s victory in the 2023 general election.
The office stated that Vice President Kashim Shettima holds the northern governors and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress in high regard and recognizes their individual and collective contributions to the success of the party and the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.
The Vice President expressed regret over any interpretation of his remarks that suggested otherwise. The statement concluded by noting that Vice President Kashim Shettima appreciates the Nigerian media for its engagement with his office and urged continued accuracy and context in reporting public remarks.
