Northern Youth Group Removes Shettima As Patron Over Comment On Peter Obi

A northern youths group operating under the aegis of Coalition of Arewa Youths for Peace and National Development (COAYPANU), has announced the removal of Alhaji Kashim Shettima, vice presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC,as its patron.

The group, in a statement, Sunday, explained that its action was based on the statement by Senator Shettima, on the capacity of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, regarding the 2023 presidential election.

The group, in the statement by its National President, Alhaji Mohammed Gwadabe, alleged that Shettima had, during an interview on Arise TV last weekend, questioned the capacity and competence of the former Governor of Anambra State, to lead the country as president.

“In a derogatory tone, Shettima had said that the LP flag-bearer could best be a “president in Igboland”, thereby attracting criticisms from thousands of the latter’s supporters, who identify themselves as “Obi-dients” among other well meaning Nigerians,” it noted.

It quoted Shettima as saying, “The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has no political base and structure to win the next election in 2023. As far as I am concerned, he’s politically structureless with little or no experience to lead this country.

“Nigeria requires a technocrat and a sound administrator who will continue from where President Muhammadu Buhari stopped, not someone who will come to take us back to the era of PDP. Nigerians don’t want that.

“Presidential position is not for the unprepared neither is it an all comers’ affair. Peter Obi can only become a President in Igboland but definitely not in Nigeria. Nigeria is too big for him to handle.

“He has no leadership ideology nor experiences like President Muhammadu and our incoming President in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

While condemning Shettima’s comment, as “provocative”, the youths group called on Nigerians “to reject politicians that promote bigotry,and other tendencies that threaten peace and unity.”

According to the group, ”Shettima’s attack on Obi smacked off perceived bigotry.”

Gwadabe said the governor’s statement was not in line with its belief in the unity of the country, hence their decision to “remove him as patron with immediate effect.”

“Considering the weight of the provocative, divisive and reckless statement made by our patron, Alhajji Kashim Shettima which is against the spirit of unity we stand for, and following consultations from members across the 19 states of Northern Nigeria, and approval from National Executive Committee in our emergency congress held, we, by this statement, announced the immediate removal of the APC Vice Presidential candidate as our patron.

“We are ashamed to associate ourselves with someone of Shettima’s standing who, despite piloting the affairs of his native Borno State as governor for two consecutive terms, still does not know that Nigeria is for everybody, irrespective of tribe, religion and cultural backgrounds.

“The reckless and retrogressive statement he made against Peter Obi and Igbo presidency is his personal view and not that of our organisation which he was a patron at the time of the provocative statement,” Gwadabe said.

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