The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has been rejected as running mate to the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
The Tinubu Support Organization (TSO) had on Monday endorsed the Kaduna governor as Tinubu’s running mate, describing him as the best choice for the vice-presidential slot.
Briefing newsmen in Kaduna on Monday, TSO Director-General, Aminu Suleiman, said that El-Rufai is a very experienced politician who has held office at both federal and state levels.
However, in a statement on Monday night, the APC North East Youths Stakeholders Forum Chairman, Haruna Sardauna, asked members of the ruling party to reject the endorsement of El-Rufai as Tinubu’s running mate.
He stated that choosing a vice president from a different region would be political suicide for the APC because of the significant amount of votes from the North East.
Sardauna also urged President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Tinubu not to take the focus away from the North-East region for justice and equity sake.
The statement: “The North East should be given the slot, considering the sacrifices the region has made for the party in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. North-East APC Youth Stakeholders Forum on behalf of our region wants the party and President Muhammadu Buhari to zone the VP slot to our region unconditionally.
“For President Muhammadu Buhari’s election as Nigeria’s president in 2015 and 2019, the area (North-East) donated more than 70 per cent of their votes in both elections. In our view, it’s time for the North-East to be recognized not only for their role in ousting a sitting President but also for supporting Buhari and the APC’s progressive principles.
“It’s not wrong to say this is our time, and it’s not right to deny this opportunity to our region, morally. Choosing a vice president from a different region would be political suicide because of the significant amount of votes from the region, especially when Atiku emerged as the PDP’s flagbearer.
“It is on the basis of the reality that a son of the region must serve as Vice President in order to secure our region’s bloc votes, we offer this recommendation.
“It is our hope that our dear President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Working Committee of our great party will take these concerns seriously and do the essential for the progress and success of our party and country.