Tinubu

 Running mate: Tinubu names Shettima, Zulum, and his assistant disputes a meeting with Wike.

Bola Tinubu

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the president-elect of the ruling All Progressives Congress, may choose either Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State or his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in the coming days.

It was discovered that Tinubu chose the two names after careful consideration with around 12 days left before the deadline of July 15 for political parties to submit the final names of their presidential candidates and running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, was reportedly also under consideration but ultimately disqualified, despite the fact that he actively contributed to Tinubu's selection as the party's nominee.

According to Sunday  findings, on June 26, Tinubu had focused his search on Borno, Kano, and Kaduna states, with all the potential running mates being Muslims. Tinubu is currently in France and is anticipated to return to the country soon to resolve the running mate issue before the deadline.

The North-West APC governors had stepped up their efforts to guarantee that the region would supply the running mate. The PUNCH said on Friday that at a meeting in Kaduna on Thursday, the governors, governorship candidates, ministers, and other stakeholders from the zone expressed their determination to advance their cause by utilizing their vote power as a negotiating chip.

However, the ally claimed that when Tinubu returned to the nation, he would simply need to hold final discussions to decide between Zulum and Shettima. Given his performance history, particularly in light of the Boko Haram insurgency, Zulum is thought to enjoy widespread support in the North. Tinubu ally Shettima also demonstrated his strong support for Zulum's candidacy by speaking out in favor of him.

The competition for Asiwaju's running mate has been whittled down to only two men, the insider claimed. They are Kashim Shettima, the senator who represents Borno Central Senatorial District, and Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State. If all were equal, one of these two men would end up being the running mate.

He responded, "Yes, it is true that Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, was also under consideration. He actively contributed to Tinubu's rise to prominence. One of the things that surprised the many people who worked with him was his support. El-Rufai deserves to be chosen if he is chosen.

Remember that he is a respected governor among his peers, but I believe it goes beyond that.

The insider further stated that "Tinubu is returning to deal with this running mate issue once and for all and he is likely going to see to its resolution before Sallah, which is July 10."

Another source, a member of the House of Representatives and former campaign member for Bola Tinubu for President, claimed that the candidate might choose for a governor.

He declared, "It's conceivable that a serving governor from the North-East or North-West will fill the seat. However, I believe the North-East is being favored because the region has not yet produced a President. We must share the votes from the region with Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is also a candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party and is from the region.

"If we choose Zulum, there would be less talk about a Muslim-Muslim ticket. I believe he would be welcomed by the Christian community. He works hard and might be given due consideration by the public. Christians will be happy to support him. His name would be heard everywhere.

The source denied that Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor of Kano State, was not being taken into consideration. "No, he is not being given another chance. He wants it, but he's out of the picture now," he continued.

In the interim, the APC presidential candidate listed Ibrahim Kabir Masari as his running mate, awaiting the conclusion of discussions regarding selecting the actual Tinubu running mate.

The possibility of the party running a Muslim/Muslim ticket has also drawn substantial condemnation, with influential people and organizations, such the Christian Association of Nigeria, dismissing the action as an unworkable pairing. However, the candidate's and the party's supporters had contended that skill should take precedence over belief.