The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai is not pleased with the decision of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, to pick former Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Sources that spoke with Daily Independent disclosed that the party leadership are trying to seal the grievances so that they won’t be exposed like the issues of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There are claims that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike is against the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar for picking the governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
In the case of the APC, it is understood that El-Rufai was chosen as the potential running mate from the North-West, while Shettima was selected from the North-East.
Tinubu, however, settled for Shettima against the desire of El-Rufai to emerge as APC vice presidential candidate.
It was gathered that Tinubu announced Shettima as his running mate without consulting governors elected on the platform of the ruling party.
Despite the grievances of the governors, they turned up for the rally of the party in Osun last week.
The source said, “The same situation in PDP is currently playing out in the APC. Governor El-Rufai is very embittered about the decision held by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Emissaries have been sent to him but he rebuffed them.
“He turned up for the governorship campaign in Osun last week because he has no issues with his colleague, Oyetola.
“But definitely, he is angry with Tinubu.
“El-Rufai also enjoyed the sympathy of some APC governors, especially those in the North as they have always insisted that for supporting Tinubu in the primary, he must pick one of them as his running mate.
“Announcing Shettima, a former governor, as his choice without consulting with the governors was seen as an affront by the APC governors who are major stakeholders in the party.”
Meanwhile, an associate of Bola Tinubu revealed why the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai was not chosen as the party’s vice presidential candidate.
According to the associate, El-Rufai is one of those who sore the relation of President Muhammadu Buhari with the former governor of Lagos State.
He further stated that El-Rufai is known to attack Tinubu, hence he can not be the APC vice presidential candidate.
There had been claims that El-Rufai is not pleased with the decision of Tinubu to pick the former Governor of Borno State as his running mate.
The associate, who spoke with Daily Independent on the issue, said, “People have short memories in this country.
“How on earth can Asiwaju and El-Rufai pair together? Have you forgotten how he attacked Asiwaju and humiliated him in the past? How many people still membered in May 2019 when El-Rufai came to Lagos and said Tinubu should be retired from Lagos politics?
“He boasted that he ended godfatherism in Kaduna and he can teach Lagosians how to do the same in Lagos. Aside from that, he has made several denigrating remarks about Asiwaju in the past.
“El-Rufai is one of those who cause a wedge in the relationship of Asiwaju and Mr President, especially during the first term. How can he choose that man to be his deputy? It is practically impossible.”
