IBUKUNOLUWA KING-OKUNEYE
Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district, Shehu Sani has frowned at Nigerians linking Kashim Shettima, the All Progressives Congress vice-presidential candidate to Boko Haram terrorists.
After Tinubu on Sunday announced Shettima, who was the governor of Borno State when over 200 schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok, Borno State in 2014 as his running mate, some Nigerians have been insinuating that he has a relationship with Boko Haram.
But responding to that, Sani described such insinuation as mischief, saying that those aggrieved and commenting on the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket should express their objections through constitutional means.
In a statement, the human rights activist said, “Those who are aggrieved over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling party have the constitutional right to express their objections.
“However, the remarks that trailed the ticket, including insinuations and allegations linking Shettima to the formation, growth and deadly destruction by the Boko Haram group is condemnable and mischievous.
“Shettima as the Governor of Borno State invested time, energy and the resources of Borno State in combating, containing and curtailing the activities of the terrorist group.
“Shettima has no hand in the abduction of the Chibok girls. He has done more than anyone in contributing and supporting the operations of the Army and other security agencies in protecting the people of Borno state and by extension Nigeria.
“As a stakeholder and former Chairman Senate Committee on the Humanitarian Crisis in the North East, I’m privy to the fact that Shettima attracted massive presence and intervention of international NGOs and donor countries to the humanitarian situation in Borno.
“I’m not a member of the ruling party, but the truth is that other than issues of religion, he is better qualified in terms of competence than many who were paraded.
“Religion is a sensitive matter in Nigeria; other than that, Nigeria’s most important challenge is security, Shettima’s experience can be useful and is very much needed.”